Homework:
All classes have the unit 1 quiz tomorrow.
Sections 3,6,7 have flashcards to make to study for the quiz.

Today:
Sections 3,6,7
Daily Drill
Reviewed vocabulary
We began making flashcards in class. They were to finish for homework.

Sections 1,2
Daily Drill
Reviewed vocabulary focusing on the parts of speech.
Listened to some ideas for plays based on the pictures we have been looking at. Both classes have some neat ideas. Students read their ideas to us while we looked at the picture. Then we tried to fill in some details or ask questions. Since I have the spotlights, I hope the students are starting to think "play." I need them to picture a stage and not a movie set. They need to think dialogue, not narrative. I will post an example of what one person wrote when she e-mails me her copy.

September 16, 2008

Homework:
All: Finish Unit 1 in the vocabulary book

Sections 3,6,7
Bring in a picture for the next writing assignment.

Sections 1 and 2
Students should have a somewhat detailed story to accompany the picture they were writing on in class. Section 2 listened to an example of what I am looking for. Basically, I want the background of the main character and the story line that goes with the picture, as if the picture is a scene from a larger play. I want to be able to sit down, look at the picture, and hear a nice story about it. Who knows? This could be the storyline of their play.

Today
Sections 3,6,7
Daily Drill
Checked Completing the Sentence for credit
Then we started discussing the steps for starting to write their next essay: Every picture has a story. We practiced by looking at the for pictures you can see on the assignment page at www.mrboz.com. I will post the steps for brainstorming tomorrow after we use them in class. Basically, it is the 5 w's, why did the photographer take the picture? and describe what happened before and after the picture was taken.

Sections 1 and 2
Daily Drill
Reviewed homework but did not put in book
We continued to practice developing characters that have talents but also have limitations.

Homework:
Sections 3,6,7-
Completing the Sentence 1-20 unit 1
Bring in a picture you will use for the next writing assignment

Sections 1 and 2
Finish up the vocab unit (We will be switching over to a unit a week schedule next unit.)
Finish the story idea we began in class.

Today:
Sections 1 and 2 spent time discussing pictures and ideas for plays. We were discussing characters and story plots focusing on conflict. You can see the pictures on the writing assignment link in the homework section above. The students were asked to be ready to discuss their pictures Tuesday.

Sections 3,6,7 did 1-10 Completing the Sentence in the vocab book. I stress context clues for determining the correct answer. Then we started discussing the next writing assignment. I showed them a picture I could use of me when I wrestled in high school. I would like them to find a picture they could write about for Tuesday. This essay will take some time to write. I have told them that they will be reading this to the class, and they will be recorded. That did not make them happy. :)

September 12, 2008

Homework:
None

Today:
Sections 3,6,and 7
I focused on making sure the students understood their vocabulary responsibilities. I had a little drawing. Those who had all three exercises done were entered into a silly drawing. There was a corner of a sheet they used for their answers. I told them, if your sheet did not get cut up, you were missing some work. They need to make up that work.

Then they took a practice vocab test. I called it a scrimmage. Since we are halfway through the unit, they only needed to get about a 60% on the test. This way they know if they need to focus a little harder next week.

Sections 1 and 2
We reviewed the Completing the Sentence in the vocab book discussing context clues. Then I handed out the student guidelines for the Playwrights Festival. We read the first page which was clarifying character and conflict. We had fun discussing ideas. We used the Photography Friday exercise to practice coming up with an idea for their play. I will explain this more as the days go by.

September 11, 2008

Homework:
Sections 1 and 2- Completing the Sentence 1-10
Section 3- have the pictionaries, synonyms, and choosing done on the sheet I gave you today
Sections 6 and 7, finish the Choosing on the sheet and enter key words

Today:
Daily Drill
Sections 3,6,7- I spent extra time today making sure the students understand what I want when we do the Choosing the Right Word. They must identify the context clues. It is not a guessing game. There are words in the sentence that give clues to the right answer. I would like them to write that down on their sheet. Also, I gave these students a sheet to keep everything organized. The students who borrowed the book have their work all over. I will post the sheet in the future, but it has a space for me to sign off that they have completed all their work. This way they will know what homework assignments they have completed. On Friday, those students who have completed all three assignments can cut off the bottom to have a drawing for something small. I hope it motivates some to get organized.

Sections 1 and 2
I briefly introduced the Young Playwrights Festival to them today. I want to have the students begin brainstorming ideas tomorrow. We also did vocab and listened to a few students read their pieces.

September 10, 2008

Homework:
Sections 1 and 2, Choosing the Right Word with context clues
Section 3, Choosing the Right Word 11-20 with context clues
Section 6, none
Section 7, none

Today:
Daily Drill for all but section 7. We had an assembly.
I am taking the students through how I expect them to do the vocab homework.
We put the pictionaries on the board and guessed them. Then I showed them how I would like them to do the Choosing the Right Word. Basically, there are two words that they can pick from. However, the choice should be easier because there are clues in the sentence. The hardest assignment is the Completing the Sentence. I will help them with that tomorrow.

I also collected the diagnostic essays. We did not get to share the essays because we ran out of time. I did get to share my essay with two classes. I will read it to the others tomorrow.

September 8, 2008

Homework:
Pictionaries 1-10 unit 1

Today:
Daily Drill
Enter the week's homeworks into the agenda
Handed out vocab books
Began to study unit 1

Today we began our study of 300 vocabulary words. The students have already received their scores on the pre-test (which is actually the vocab final), so they can now begin increasing that score! I plan to give the same test in January.

I study each unit over the course of two weeks. The first two days consist of listening to the words and drawing pictionaries. These pictures should not have numbers, words, letters, or symbols. On Wednesday, we put the drawings on the board and try to guess the vocab word. I try a variety of exercises to help the students learn the words.

Another thing I discussed with the students today is grades. Vocab counts for 30% of their grade: 15% is homework, and 15% tests. If you are interested in the math, let me know, but I explained that a student who does all his homework yet fails every vocab test is able to earn a C+ for vocab. I am more interested in students being exposed to and working with a variety of vocabulary words. Some students are better at incorporating words into their lexicon than others. Therefore, I reward the effort of doing the work over the score on the quiz. It's just what I do.

September 5, 2008

Homework:
None

Today:
Photography Friday
Work time on their essays

Today we started Photography Friday. I will give a longer explanation at another time. Basically, I use the Week in Pictures from MSNBC.com. I do various activities with the pictures trying to get the students to do higher order thinking. It is also like art appreciation. I am trying to get them to appreciate what good photography looks like. Photographers view the world through its details. I hope by showing students how photographers compose their shots, they will pay closer attention to the details around themselves.

The essay is due at the end of class Tuesday. Some students want to write the draft at home. The piece must be turned in hand written. Those who are finished will work on something else on Tuesday while we have a writing time.

I will hand out vocab books Monday. Students will have vocab homework most nights from now on. The homework schedule will be posted on the calendar on my website.

September 4, 2008

Homework:
None

Today:
Daily Drill
Work time on the in-class essay

Today I discussed the idea of a barf draft, so if your child says we discussed puke in class, he is right. The barf draft technique is used when you feel like there is something to say, but you don't know what it is you want to say. So, you barf it up. Then, just like when we throw up, you stand back and look at it. However, in a barf draft, you pick out the parts you like and use them. That is where the analogy breaks down. :)

September 3, 2008

Homework:
None

Today:
We finished the vocabulary pre-test and started a diagnostic essay. I spent some time making web pages that explain what we have been doing during the first two weeks. If you are interested, please take some time to read the three pages listed under "current assignment" on MrBoZ.com.

September 2, 2008

Homework:
Sections 3,6, and 7 are still missing many Internet permission forms. I will inform the students who are missing them tomorrow. This was their first small grade. Also, many students in the same classes have not turned in their vocabulary book money.

Today:
Daily Drill (Please see www.mrboz.com for archive.)
I have explained to the students a few times now that raising their hands during the daily drill counts towards their participation grade. Students must be prepared, behave, and participate to receive the full participation grade. I also explained that these daily drills must be kept in order, in a notebook, because I will have a notebook checks.

Vocabulary pre-test
Before we start each year's vocabulary units, I like to give the students the final exam. Yes, the exact same test they will take in May. A student explained that he barely knew any of the answers. Good! That is the point. He isn't expected to know them now. Therefore, when they take the same test in May, they will see their scores have improved! It is 100 questions and includes part of speech, spelling, definition, and synonyms.

August 28, 2008

Homework:
Bring in vocab book money on Tuesday
Some students still need to get in their Internet permission form

Today:
We practiced our Daily Drills. I will be using a book called Daily Language Review. Each day the students will be required to do the grammar activities in their English notebook. I will explain this more in a future blog or at Parents' Night. For today's blog entry, I just want to tell you that all the daily drills will be archived. If your child misses a day, he/she can go to MrBoZ.com, do the drill, and get the answers.

Today we also finished up the Barney discussion. We did a worksheet where we looked at what qualities I need to have as a Barney teacher and what qualities they said they need to be Barney students. They took the two columns and filled in a Ven diagram. What I hope they see is that we both have to do basically the same things to have a Barney classroom. It's the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated. I will post the worksheet in the near future. They are also making small Barney's that I will hang up as a reminder of how we should act in my class. I will post a picture soon.

August 27, 2008

Homework:
Bring in vocab book money
Bring in Internet permission slip
Please have an English notebook for Tuesday

Today:
It may seem silly that I am spending the first week of school studying Barney the Dinosaur. But setting a tone for the rest of the year is important. By the end of this week, I want the students to know my expectations for them. They may be seventh graders and think they are above Barney, but the lessons taught on the show are ones that we should all follow no matter how old we are. And when I say all, I mean that. In each discussion about creating a Barney room, I am included. I am not beginning my year telling my students what THEY need to be doing. I want us to think about what WE need to be doing. I may be older and more mature than the students, but I am equally imperfect.

My goal for these lessons on Barney is that we can refer back to the lessons from the show throughout the year. When students are not behaving properly, I can remind them, not of the rules of the classroom, but of the perfection I would like us to strive for. Likewise, when I say or do something that is not Barney-like, I want them to politely point it out. Together we will make an enjoyable classroom environment.

August 26, 2008

The first day of school is here! I was ready for the school year to begin.

I did not blog yesterday because I honestly forgot. The first day is crazy, but there is no way around that. Today, Tuesday, we are beginning to learn about my expectations for our classroom experience. You may have heard that we are studying Barney the Dinosaur. You have heard correctly! I want to have a Barney classroom.

In years past, I have explained this idea in general. But this year I want to examine what it really means. I am finding that by watching an episode of the show, the students are seeing how perfect the children on the show behave. In fact, I am seeing how perfect Barney is on the show. To say that we should have a Barney classroom is an unrealistic expectation. But we can shoot for it.

You should have seen an internet permission slip and a vocab book letter by tonight. Please have your child return these as soon as possible. The vocab books are $8.50.

June 3, 2008

The grades are finalized and submitted. Today we watched educational films... really! Three classes saw a film on the Mars rovers. One film was on the parrots of Telegraph Hill in San Francisco. One class watched a film on the nuclear tests at Bikini Island. They might not have been the most exciting, but we learned something!

May 29, 2008

Not much to write. We finished up the movie today and handed in the review sheet. It will count for a few points.

I will not be in school Friday. I am having the students write a brief review of the movie. They will look at how to write a movie review and examine a sample review of the new Narnia movie. Again, this assignment will count for a few points. The grades are almost done.

May 28, 2008

I have not been writing much here because there isn't much to write. We have finished the big grades, and now I am just wrapping up the year. The magazine presentation is NOT due tomorrow because we are watching High School Musical 2. This is not wasting time. We first read over all the writing prompts we used over the course of the year, reminding them of what we have covered. I wanted the year to be a study of the themes from the movie. Now, as we watch the movie, we are examining the songs again and exploring the theme of the movie overall. We will finish the movie tomorrow and wrap the year up with a small reflection on the movie, which will count for a small grade. With whatever time we have, we will focus on magazines. I figured it was more important to get the movie in than finish the magazine study. As long as they get a basic idea behind the messages in ads, that will be fine.

May 21, 2008

Homework:
Study for the vocab final

Today:
Finished the FMT in the vocab book. That is the last work the students will need the book for.
We finished Text/Ad ratio and defining the audience of their magazines. We have now discussed three of the five things required for the magazine presentations due next Thursday.

I handed back work and grade slips today. The students should know how they are doing at this point.

May 19, 2008

Homework:
Bring vocab book and magazine every day
Sections 1 and 2 should have their charts and product lists done for Tuesday

Today:
Reviewed for vocab final
Continued text to ratio part of the magazine presentation.
Here is the packet I will eventually give to the students when we get paper.
Here is the web page of the new assignment.

May 16, 2008

Homework:
None
Have a magazine for Monday

Today:
We took the notebook quiz.
I collected the good drafts of the Monsters essay.
We began our work with the magazines. I have done this unit for years. The kids will get a lot out of this. In fact, they will start pointing things out to you soon enough. I will have a web page that explains the next project up early next week. I have a packet for them, but we are out of paper at the school. I will copy it when I can.

Have a nice weekend.

May 15, 2008

Homework:
Have a magazine for Friday
The notebook quiz is Friday. (See list on www.mrboz.com)
Good draft of Monsters essay is due

Today:
We read over a good example of the Monsters essay and discussed unity and details. Some classes discussed introductions as well.
We barely began to discuss the last project of the year, a magazine presentation. More details will be posted soon.

May 14, 2008

Homework:
Bring a magazine tomorrow
Revise the essays base on today's discussions

Today:
Buzzword
Discussed introductions in some classes
In some classes we discussed the ideas that should be contained in the essay

I have written my essay for this assignment: Faith and Fear in "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street"

May 12, 2008

Homework:
Rough draft of the Monsters essay due Wednesday

Today:
Buzzword
Reviewed calendar
Handed out grade slips. Absent students made up quizzes.
(Sections 3 and 7 will get the quizzes tomorrow.)
Work time on the essay.

I explained what I expect for a magazine on Thursday. Mainly it should have ads and articles, be age appropriate, and be something they are interested in learning more about.

May 8, 2008

Homework:
Study for unit 15 quiz on Friday
I would like to have a discussion about the Monsters essay tomorrow. Students should be ready to discuss what the technique was and if it is good. Would it work in real life as it did on the TV show?

Today:
No Buzzword
Reviewed vocabulary
Sections 3,6,7 made flashcards
Sections 1 and 2 read about the Red Scare and McCarthyism
I gave the students a suggested outline to guide their brainstorming
Writing time in class

I have a detailed page about this assignment online.

May 6, 2008

Homework:
Choosing the Right Word unit 15 and context clues
Quiz on Friday

Today:
Buzzword
Discussion
Work time from discussion ideas.

I asked the kids if humans really do scapegoat. Would we really react the way Figure One says we will react in the story? I asked them to explain three questions. The questions go from a scientific answer to a superstitious answer. When we are faced with something we don't know about, we feel compelled to find an answer, even if we have to make one up. We move into the realm of imagination.

Three levels of questions:

What we know- Why does the sun move across the sky?

Sort of know- How does weather work? Why do we get rain and hurricanes?

Don’t know- Why do bad things happen to good people?


What types of answers do we give?

This is Rod Serling's intro to The Twilight Zone:

"There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call The Twilight Zone."

May 5, 2008

Homework:
Pictionaries unit 15
Quiz Friday

Today:
Buzzword
Reviewed calendar
Discussed words for unit 15
Handed out the next writing prompt (I will make a web page soon.)
Watched the end of The Monsters are Due on Maple Street again now that they have the prompt.

I am curious to see how deeply the students will think about the topic. As a 39-year-old, I see some truth in what the aliens were saying. There is a strong record of humans acting just like they do in the episode. But I also know the technique will not work totally. It never has. I will write the essay as well. Each year I see different meanings in pieces of literature. We bring our own lives to a piece of art. We interpret the piece in light of our current understandings. For a 12-year-old, their current understandings are limited. I will try to help them think deeply, beyond the 2 seconds they usually take to think something through. :)

May 1, 2008

Homework:
None

Today:
Buzzword
Discussed "Scapegoat"
Watched the "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street."

Today's discussion was quite interesting. I wanted to explain the origin of the word "scapegoat" because the idea is central to the show we watched. The source of the word is Leviticus in the Bible. I explained that the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, used two goats as part of the ritual. Two unblemished goats were chosen. Lots were thrown, and one goat was chosen to be sacrificed, and the other was the scapegoat. The priest would place the sins of the community onto the goat, and the animal was sent into the wilderness. On Yom Kippur today, that ritual is read about during the services. The sacrifices are not done today.

But before I told them all this, I did a little activity which they thought was pretty weird. I didn't tell them what we were doing, but I had them write their name on a card. Then I asked them to think about some dark fear or bad thing in themselves that they wish could be taken away. We all have them. Wouldn't it feel great to have it removed? I told them to think about that and symbolically place that fear onto the card. (I did not want it written down.) I put the names in a bucket and asked if they felt better. Most did not.

Before that, though, I had two students put on t-shirts. One was red and the other was orange. They flipped a coin to decide who would get what color. With the fears in the bucket, I then told the class that we would be "sacrificing" the red t-shirt animal. They had not learned about the scapegoat yet, so they were confused. The student just sat down, but the bucket was still there with our fears in it. Then I gave the bucket to the orange shirt animal and sent him away. I pointed out that our fears were gone. They were confused, but the demonstration made the idea of the scapegoat clear.

Then I showed them this picture and explained the history of the word as I said above. We then watched "The Monsters...," and I had them watch for the idea of scapegoat. The people in the movie were scared, and they wanted an explanation for the events. They wanted a scapegoat to remove their anxiety. One person was killed out of irrational fear. Steve says, "You're standing here all set to crucify- all set to find a scapegoat- desperate to point some kind of finger at a neighbor." He has it right. They will either kill something or place the blame on someone, just like the scapegoat: one is killed, and the other is sent away.

I see the idea of the scapegoat all over, especially in a society like we have now where someone else is always to blame. I will be thinking about where this next unit will go over the weekend. I want to explore the idea of misplaced blame. One idea I am thinking about is bullying. Students this age are so worried about fitting in that they will often make a scapegoat of another student. They place their anxieties on the weakest of those around them.

I would not talk about all of these with the students, but I am also thinking about the economy. Everyone wants to know why it is going down hill. What about education? Surely there is plenty of blame to go around. What about our own relationships, families, marriages? Do we ever scapegoat someone for things that we should be figuring out about ourselves? What about larger horrors like the Holocaust and Rwanda? Can we even escape from scapegoating as human beings? Is it just in our nature? I will be thinking about this over the next few days. I also want to explore if the piece will be written or some kind of public service video.

April 30, 2008

Homework:
None

Today:
Buzzword
We finished the quotations unit and took a brief, open-book assessment.
I handed the proverb pieces back to sections 6 and 7.

Tomorrow we will start our next unit: Scapegoats
(I have a general plan, but the springboard piece is "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street" which they read in reading class recently.)

April 29, 2008

Homework:
None

Today:
Buzzword
We are almost finished quotation marks. I will have a small assessment Thursday.
Grammar is a little boring, but it has to be done. They do not know all the rules.

We will start our next unit soon.

April 28, 2008

Homework:
None

Today:
Buzzword
Reviewed calendar
Continued to discuss quotation marks
Gave grade slips to sections 3,6,7

Sections 1 and 2 reviewed the grades I gave them for their proverb pieces. They will get grade slips tomorrow.

April 23, 2008

Homework:
Finish Unit 14
Grade slip must be signed

Today:
Buzzword
Vocab
Grammar

We are just plugging along. The goal is to finish the vocab book soon. I spaced the units out earlier in the year to place the emphasis on writing. Now I have time to focus on vocab and grammar while I finish grading the proverb papers.

For those students who are on the trip, I hope to post the work we are doing in class on my site. If not, I will have a copy of the grammar book pages for you when you come back. We will have an assessment for the quotations unit.

April 22, 2008

Homework:
Finish the synonyms
Choosing the Right Word unit 13
Get in the signed grade slip

Today:
Buzzword
Pictionaries on the board
Continued our discussion of using quotation marks. I will post the bookwork soon as a pdf.
I am grading the proverb discussion essays. I am reading them as extended responses.

April 21, 2008

Homework:
Pictionaries unit 14
Get the grade slip signed

Today:
Buzzword
Reviewed the schedule for the week
Listened to words for unit 14 vocab
Continued the lessons on quotation marks from grammar book

The goal for this week is to get the proverb pieces graded by Friday.
Students should have a notebook so they can keep the Buzzwords and grammar notes organized.

April 18, 2008

Homework:
None

Today:
Buzzword
Quiz 13
Quotes and Underlining in titles

The grade are updated, and slips will be handed out on Monday. Have a nice weekend.

Two more units to go in the vocab book!

April 17, 2008

Homework:
Quiz 13 Friday

Today:
Buzzword
Reviewed vocabulary
Made flashcards in 3,6,7
Studied for quiz

April 16, 2008

Homework:
Finish unit 13
Quiz on Friday

Today:
Buzzword
Lots of vocab
Began a short unit on the use of quotes.
I am finding that students are using quotes inconsistently on their proverb papers. I want to teach some lessons so they will understand the comments I make on their papers. I will post the worksheets as we do them. I will post the grammar rules as well.

April 15, 2008

Homework:
Choosing the right word unit 13
Section 3 must have a good draft of the proverb piece in tomorrow.

Today:
Buzzword (I will post soon)
Pictionaries on the board
Some students read their pieces to us as we sat at their feet.

I have a meeting to go to. No time to write more.

April 14, 2008

Homework:
Pictionaries 1-20 Unit 13
Good draft of the proverb piece due Tuesday

Today:
Buzzword
Spelling Notebook Quiz
Discussed words 1-20 Unit 13
Discussed sample proverb essay
Handed out grade slips to sections 1,2,3,6

I posted pictures of the proverb t-shirts. Check them out!

My proverb explanation

"Pride comes before a fall."

Pride is listed as one of the Seven Deadly Sins. When we think about the Seven Deadly Sins, though, we usually think about the extremes. However, there are some philosophies/theologies that see the inclination to do bad things as the beginning of doing something good. For example, gluttony is destructive when one eats to excess constantly. Obesity and health problems result. Yet, we do have a very strong desire to eat. Likewise, sloth is when someone has no motivation to do anything. The result is nothing gets done. Yet if we work hard, we have a strong desire to rest. It is the same way with pride. Pride motivates us to do a good job. A job well done feels good. However, the extremes of pride are arrogance and an insatiable quest for praise. Pride taken to its extreme is destructive. In other words, the Seven Deadly Sins contain both the good and the bad. The good happens when the inclination is controlled.

It’s like a car. The engine drives us, and the front wheels steer us. If the steering is weak, the car goes out of control. Remembering the proverb “Pride comes before a fall” is one way to keep those wheels pointed in the right direction. Left to my own devices, I will focus on increasing the power of the engine and forget that it is more important that my car goes in the right direction! When pride gets out of control, the results for me are a swelled head and sullen resentments. My arrogance will push people away, and I will not get the praise I feel I deserve. I recently became too prideful about my skills as a photographer.

Before spring break, I led the students through a unit on portraits. The final product of the lesson was a color portrait taken with professional lights and background. The results were wonderful. They were the best pictures I have ever taken of someone indoors! For the students, the experience was daunting, but the results were rewarding. After I showed them the results of our hard work and some students learned their pictures were among those I chose as the best, I felt satisfied. I had achieved my goals and produced some quality portraits for my students. My skill as a photographer produced nice results. I was proud of what I had accomplished.

But I wanted praise, not just the feeling of a job well done. But not enough came to satisfy my swelled ego. Only two parents thanked me by replying to my e-mail suggesting they view our results. I got one complaint which subsequently resulted in the removal of all the pictures from my website. And one student even demanded that I print out her pictures for free and complained that there were not enough pictures of her in the slideshow. Yet what happened to the satisfaction I felt when we had finished? It was swallowed up in the desire for more praise! Once again, pride comes before a fall, and I fell hard… again.

April 11, 2008

Homework:
Good draft of the proverb piece due Tuesday
Notebook Quiz on Monday- See spelling words on my website

Today:
Took Quiz 12
I took pictures of all the proverb t-shirts, and the students stood up and said their proverb. I will make a gallery of the shirts after I have finished cropping out the faces.
In most classes I read my example and discussed a possible outline. Most classes had time to read someone else's. Section 3 did not.

The basic outline is an introduction that states the proverb, an explanation of the proverb, and the anecdote that gives an example of the proverb in the student's life. I will post my piece when I finish proofreading it. I have a few changes to make.

I will be handing out grade slips on Monday. Have a nice weekend!

April 10, 2008

Homework:
Quiz 12 Friday
T-shirt with proverb due tomorrow. I will photograph them all and post the best on the assignment page. (I will ensure privacy but chopping heads off or blacking out the eyes.)
Rough draft of proverb explanation due

Today:
Last spelling list!
Discussed vocab
Sections 3,6,7 made flashcards
Gave the classes some time to write.

I should have my piece written by class time tomorrow as an example. I told the students I expect them to be able to teach us something tomorrow. We will sit on the floor as they tell us a proverb and explain its meaning to us. We should be so much wiser by the end of class!

The students were complaining about 500 words being too many. Honestly, I find 500 words limiting. I will grade their pieces based on how well they explain their proverb. The more detailed the answer the better. I do expect the pieces to have some flow to them. They should not be the answers to the questions placed one after another.

DuPont Challenge Winner from H.B.

Eighth grade student Claire Yang won the Junior Division of the DuPont Challenge, a nationwide contest that received thousands of entries. As you remember, I had all my students write essays for that writing contest in January. Even though none of my students won, I am still hoping for some honorable mentions. What really matters, though, is that a student from H.B. won! We have many outstanding students at our school! I am very blessed to be teaching at such a great school.

April 9, 2008

Homework:
Finish Unit 12
T-shirt due Friday
Written piece due Friday

Today:
Spelling
Reviewed vocabulary
Discussed the proverb card they submitted yesterday for approval.
Explained the written piece.

Here is the rough introduction I am using so far for my piece:

A student was wearing a t-shirt today that boldly asked, "Got Pride?" When I looked on the back I learned that the pride the shirt was asking about was for A.I. High School. If you went there, I guess the correct answer would be yes. But that's not how I read the shirt. I took the phrase as an excruciating condemnation. Yes! I have pride! And too many times in my life pride has been my biggest source of frustration and pain!

April 8, 2008

Homework:
Chosing the Right Word Unit 12
T-shirt due Friday
500 word piece

Today:
Spelling
Put the pictionaries on the Board
Did the Synonyms together
Handed out the requirements for the t-shirt and written piece
Students wrote their proverbs on index cards for comments by other students. I will review them before class tomorrow so we can have some discussion about the truth of their proverbs. Tomorrow I will give the students time to start writing their pieces. I will begin my own as well.

April 7, 2008

Homework:
Pictionaries 1-20 unit 12
Must have proverb for class discussion tomorrow.
T-shirt and written piece are due Friday

Today:
Spelling (notebook quiz on this next Monday)
Reviewed schedule for the week
Discussed words 1-20 unit 12
Continued our discussion of proverbs.
Here is the sheet I will give them Tuesday.

The proverb they chose must be...
1. Important to them
2. Meaningful enough that they think others should study it
3. Universally true, not just to one group of people
4. Appropriate

April 4, 2008

Homework:
Students should be finding a proverb that fits them.

Today:
Spelling
Vocab Quiz on Unit 11
Discussed proverbs.

Each section is at a different stage of the discussion. Basically we are discussing what a proverb is and what I expect them to chose. Today in section 1, we stumbled upon some proverbs that are really not worth discussing. (Reading the list would have helped, and I changed the list for the rest of the classes, but we did have to question the "wisdom" of some proverbs! -Live and learn. Hey, that's a proverb!) As a result, the lesson I began to teach in each class had to do with the audience of the proverb and the appropriateness of statements.

We will look at how some proverbs on the list were clearly aimed at teaching their own cultural group ideas they would find important. We discussed how the students' own proverbs can not be specific to one group of people. Their proverbs must have a universal truth. The wisdom must be something we can all agree is true and worth knowing.

April 3, 2008

Homework:
Study for the Unit 11 Quiz
Begin thinking about a proverb for the next writing piece

Today:
Spelling
Reviewed vocabulary
Sections 3,6,7 made flashcards in class
Sections 1 and 2 began our discussion of proverbs. You can see the handout here.

After too much struggle, the next writing assignment is finalized. The students will pick a proverb that is important to them and important enough to share with others. They will write the proverb on a t-shirt to be worn in class next Friday. They will write a 500 word piece explaining the relationships and/or life events that have helped them to understand the truth behind their proverb. The written piece will be shared with someone, whether it is for the whole class or in a small group.

Students should have their proverbs chosen by Monday. We will discuss each one to see if it is really worthy of proverb status. The proverb does not have to be famous, but the idea has to be universally true.

April 2, 2008

Homework:
Finish unit 11 in vocab

Today:
Spelling
Reviewed vocabulary
Continued to discuss the lessons from HSM2

After struggling to get a topic from the last song of the movie, I have decided on a shorter piece instead of a full blown essay. Just when I think I know how students will react to something I create, the first class I give it to always gives me a reality check. What I thought would be easy to write apparently was not. The proverbs from the song were not as easy for the students to explain as I thought they were. Many students did not know the characters and the story of the movie as well as I thought, even though we have studied all the songs throughout the year! So, with the feedback of one of my classes, I have decided upon the following project.

The students must find a quote that is important to them, one that represents how they understand or feel about how to live life right now. An example from the song is, "There's more to life when we listen to our hearts." The quote should also be one that they would be willing to wear on a t-shirt. I say this because t-shirt slogans are usually an outward expression of some inner idea that we want to proclaim to others. Therefore, the quote should be something they feel is relevant to how they feel about life yet important enough that others should read it and think about it.

The writing part of this will be a 500 word piece that explains why the quote is important to them. The enduring understanding for this month is, "Relationships and life lessons continually mold an individual's character." The piece should explain how relationships and/or life experiences have influences them to believe that this quote is an expression of how they feel about how to live life.

I am mulling over ways to publish the pieces. I would love to make actual t-shirts, even if they use markers and an old shirt. Maybe we could tape paper onto shirts for the period. Ideally, I would like to see them wearing the shirts around school. (Yeah. Like that will happen!)

The writers of the movie had some messages they wanted the viewers to go away with. As writers, we, too, want people to leave our pieces with a message. This assignment is pretty much just what message do you want to tell other people? There's no poem, song, or narrative. Just tell me what you understand in a short message. After that, explain to me why that short statement expresses how you see life and how you came to that understanding.

April 1, 2008

(Sorry. I did not get to enter this at the end of the day.)

Homework:
Choosing the Right Word unit 11

Today:
Spelling
Reviewed vocabulary
Watched the last song of High School Musical 2

The next writing prompt is almost done. I will post it on the website within the next day. It has been a little while since we have written an essay, so I want this last piece to be meaningful. The last song of the movie, however, contains very little meaning besides having a good rest of the summer for the characters in the movie. Because the last song is so shallow, I showed the end of the movie to get it over with. Now we can begin our last topic.

The song "Every Day" has many nuggets of wisdom in it. The characters have grown as a result of their experiences, and the song sums up what they have learned. The last piece we will write will be a discussion of one of those nuggets. We will explain one of the lyrics from the song and discuss what it means for the characters and what it means to us. We will give examples from the movie, our lives, and other sources that support why we agree with the lyric. Basically, the essay will be explaining a statement we can use to explain how we live our lives. Here is an example: "No matter where we're going, it starts from where we are."

March 31, 2008

Homework:
Pictionaries 1-20 unit 11
Quiz Friday
(We will be doing a unit a week for the next four weeks.)

Today:
Spelling (I will have a notebook quiz April 14.)
Reviewed the schedule for the week.
Listened to the words for unit 11
Discussed what a proverb is and looked at the lyrics for "Every Day" from High School Musical 2. The song has many pearls of wisdom that might make good writing topics. Over the next few days we will be deciding what the last writing piece from the movie will be. I will post the assignment when it is ready.

Special note:
The galleries of the portraits have been removed. Dr. Carmack advised that it would be better to not have the pictures available for download. If you would like to see your child's portraits, e-mail me. I would be happy to show them to you. They turned out great, and the kids had a lot of fun.

March 20, 2008

Dear parents,
I am sure you have been hearing that we have been taking portraits in English class. Well, they are done, and I have posted the results of our efforts in galleries located at the link below. On that page you will see many galleries. Ours are located a few rows down. If you are not sure which class you child is in, you can roll over the pictures to see what the gallery contains. (There is also a video if you want to view a slide show of the best pictures. I don’t know how to delete the other videos on that page.)

I will warn you, the page has lots of graphics. Be patient. Also, you may get a page that says you need an updated browser. You can just use what you have. If you have an older computer, you might have trouble viewing these.

When you are in the galleries, you can download the pictures two ways. If you so desire, you can download the whole gallery. Click the download button on the first page of the gallery. The site will zip the pictures for download. Be warned. The pictures are about 300KB. The whole gallery will be huge.

You can also just download the pictures of your child by downloading from his/her picture. You will get one picture at a time.

These pictures are great quality. I used my Canon Rebel XTI and Dr. Carmack’s professional lights and background. The downloaded files should make good 8 X 10 pictures if you want. I have used this site for prints. I pick them up at the store by Christiana Hospital: http://www.ritzpix.com/ .

The pictures in the galleries are organized by shot. The first shot of the student is the pose he/she picked. Today I had the students write down what they are trying to say in their poses. The rest of that child’s shots are what I was able to get them to do. When they stood there, I would get a feel for who they are. Some would say I took the picture I wanted, or I posed them the way I see them. Some kids were hard to work with. Others were great!

I loved working with the kids. Like most of my projects, I tried to get the students to examine themselves and others through different lenses. In this case, that lens was mine. The pictures I produced are a result of the interaction I had with them as they posed, and for some, with the whole class as they offered suggestions! It was challenging but rewarding.

-MrBoZ

Link : http://gallery.mac.com/bozmd

P.S. During each class I explained and had written on the board that if they want their pictures removed they had to put it in writing. I had two students do that so far. If you have an objection to your child's pictures being posted, I will respect your wishes and remove them. These pictures will be up for a few weeks. Then I will remove them.

March 19, 2008

Homework: None

Today: We finished our portraits today. Tonight I will get them all organized and put the galleries up so you can download the pictures! I have a lot of work ahead of me, so I need to get to it!

March 18, 2008

Homework:
I want the students to be done the two sheets I have assigned. You can find them on the assignment page at MrBoZ.com.

Today:
We did the daily spelling. Then we took pictures! We will need another full day to finish the shots. I took 500 shots today, and I have only photographed half the students! Tonight I will narrow the shots down to the pose they had in mind and another shot (or two). Eventually the pictures will be posted so you can download them and get them printed. Ritz does a nice job. You can send the file over the internet and even get the pictures sent to your house.

March 17, 2008

Homework:
I gave out a sheet of questions that can be used to guide your thinking. The students need to be ready for a portrait shot tomorrow. In talking with a few students, they are not sure what they want to say with their shot. I guess they need to sit down and start thinking about this! You can read the requirements for the assignment here.

Today:
We did the daily spelling. I hope the students are keeping these organized in a notebook. I will have a test on these later. They can use the notebook.

We looked at some portraits I took three years ago of my students. It was interesting to just see the pictures. I was trying to tell my students that three years from now or more someone will view your portraits like this. What do you want them to think? What message do you want to convey about who you are?

Then we discussed Troy and who he decided he was. He said that people can bet on him. I want the students to have a clear message when they explain their portraits.

March 14, 2008

Homework:
The students should be thinking about their portraits.

Today:
I have been very busy grading their letters. I plan to update grades by Tuesday. Then I will make the page that explains the project. The students should know what is expected. I have the notes all over my boards and we have been discussing poses all for the last two days. Here are the pictures we have been discussing.

Here is a page I made with some sample shots of my family. They show the background and lighting I will be using. They also show the quality of the shots I am looking for. I want the students to create a shot that defines who they are. If you look at my sample page, you will see a black and white that I want to use as my portrait. The interesting discussion we will have is whether the portrait we create is who we are or how we want to be seen. Hum.... Hopefully the writing part of this project will explain what they were going for.

March 11, 2008

Homework:
None

Today:
I saw sections 1 and 3. Section 1 started the quick unit on "Bet on It." Section 3 could only handle doing grammar book work at the end of the day.

March 10, 2008

Homework:
If you can, could you bring in some lyrics about the singer searching for a source of strength and where he eventually finds it? I would like a song that says we can now count on him because of how he has grown. I will give this some thought as well, but I was hoping to find some new music you kids would know.

Today:
I saw sections 6 and 7. I reminded the students who have not turned in their letters that they owe one to me. We did the daily spelling. Then we started to discuss the song "Bet on It" from HSM2. We only scratched the surface. We are looking at the first stanza where Troy says that everyone is talking at him and trying to get in his head. I had the students make a brief chart of those people who are trying to get in their heads. Later we will be looking at how they make decisions about who they will listen to. Where do they get their guidance? In the song, Troy figures this out for himself and then has the confidence to say that people can now count on him.

I explained to the students that we will be making a prose piece similar to the what Troy was talking about: You can bet on me. We will also be taking portraits that exude the same idea. As the week goes on, we will discuss the project more.

March 7, 2008

Homework: None
Some students did not finish their letters. They can finish them at home.

Today:
Boring work period to finish up the letters. Next week we will start a fun project. The assignment page will be up on Monday. I am still organizing it.

March 5, 2008

Homework: None

Today:
Work time on the letter that is due by the end of class on Friday. I only saw sections 6, 7, and 1 today. I will see sections 2 and 3 tomorrow.

March 4, 2008

Homework: None

Today:
Daily Spelling Practice
We discussed audience and how you must clearly picture and define your audience of the letter.
We read a letter to the Commissioner of Major League Baseball written by a student 3 years ago. We analyzed how he was aware of the responsibilities and interests of his audience. We looked at how he politely expressed his opinion that the schedule for the playoff games should be changed. We also looked at the reply letter. We saw that the young man was wrong about his assertions, but the MLB Commissioner was very polite in his response to him. I encouraged the students to use the three column chart we have been talking about. I thought it would be due today, but most students are not ready to make it.

I have written my letter. Because of its content, I had Dr. Carmack read it. I took out a few references to my personal beliefs so it will be appropriate for a public school setting. Here is the final version.

March 3, 2008

Homework:
There will not be homework until March 17 because of the DSTP. That's fine. We will be doing all of our work in class. This does not mean that nothing is due. The students have a chart due at the end of class tomorrow and a letter due at the end of class Friday.

Today:
The day was pretty straight forward. I took care of some little things, discussed the requirements for the letter, and gave them time to work. Some students are not using the time provided. I will be grading the letter, so I hope they take this more seriously as the week goes on. I have spent a lot of time preparing students to write. I finished mine today. Now I am getting feedback from people so I can revise it. I will post it if Dr. Carmack thinks the content is neutral enough for everyone.

February 29, 2008 (Leap Day)

Homework:
None for the weekend.

Today:
Half day. We did not do much. I am having the students submit their brainstorming for their letters so I can see what we need to discuss. The way I teach writing is I like to teach all the ideas up front. Then, when I read the essays, I expect to see the lessons demonstrated. I guess it's the difference between "Practice makes perfect" and "Perfect practice makes perfect." I don't want them to just write, although there is some merit to do that. However, with outcome-based education as it is now, I must demonstrate mastery by the students.

(Sorry for not blogging Thursday. We took quiz 10. The results are on the grades. I handed out grades to sections 3, 6, and 7 this week.)

February 27, 2008

Homework:
Study for vocab quiz 10
I changed the due date of the sensitive letter. (I am not sure when, though.)

Today:
The main goal of today was to read an example of a sensitive letter. Three years ago, during a similar assignment, a student of mine wrote a letter to the head of DIAA. The letter she wrote was understanding and polite. She did not just list demands, as if the recipient were required to do something about it. Instead, she wrote a letter that showed she understood how hard it might be for this man to make the changes she was requesting. We then read his response which showed he heard what she was saying. The letter stated that his organization already had similar requests in the past. Then he took the time to answer each of her concerns.

I am asking the students to know who they will write to by tomorrow. I had planned on being a little further by now, but that's how it always is. I want to teach the lessons I need to teach. Then I want to see my lessons demonstrated in their writing.

As far as writing goes, I graded the 300 word pieces. I had a tough time figuring out how I would grade them. At first, if you read the page, I thought I would have a detailed rubric, and the piece would be worth 60 points. That proved to be too time consuming and unnecessary. I decided to use the rubric as a general guide and base the grade mostly on one thing: was the piece an example of exploding the moment? I made the piece worth 100 points. An "A" piece was a good example of the exploding the moment technique. The piece was not supposed to be a complete story. It was to be a 30 second part of a story, slowed down and exploded. It was to focus on description and thoughts happening in the moment. A "B" piece did some of it. A "C" piece really didn't do what was needed, but the piece was more descriptive than the usual narrative.

February 26, 2008

Homework:
Sections 6 and 7 flashcards.
Finish unit 10 in the book.
Section 3 is still doing almost all work in class.

Today:
Finished the discussion of how Gabriella is sensitive in the way she delivers her message to Troy. Charts were handed in for credit. I do not have a worksheet for this. The three columns are from the three colors you can see on the file on the web page for the latest assignment. These were discussed before.

(I forgot to blog this Tuesday after school. Sorry.)

February 25, 2008

Homework:
Sections 1 and 2: Completing the Sentence
Sections 6 and 7: Completing the Sentence and finish the 3 column chart discussed in class
Section 3: I handed out grade slips. Make-up work should be done.

Today:
Daily Spelling- See the list on MrBoZ.com

With the missed day last week, I started class by reviewing the vocabulary words. We put the pictionaries on the board and tried to guess them. We also started the completing the sentence.

Then we discussed how the next piece they write will be a persuasive letter. The theme is, "I gotta say what's on my mind." The focus of my lessons for this persuasive piece, as I always do with persuasion, is to be very aware of the audience we are writing to. The purpose of the three column chart is to see how Gabriella said what she needed to, yet she was sensitive to the feelings of Troy. I want the students to see this pattern because I will be expecting them to spend time preparing their points in light of the person they are writing to.

The letter is very open ended. Tomorrow I will give them time to start exploring what they will write about. The due date is going to change!

February 21, 2008

Homework:
Choosing the right word unit 10

Today:
Daily Spelling (see list on MrBoZ.com)
Reviewed synonyms and started Choosing the right word
Began to analyze the lyrics to "Gotta Go My Own Way."

The current writing topic is explained on my web page. I wanted the students to see how a message can be delivered with sensitivity to the audience, in this case, Troy. I had them divide the lyrics into three categories: What she had to say, what Troy said, and the things she said that showed she was sensitive to his pain. Later, when we brainstorm our own letters, we will be thinking about how the person receiving our letters will react. We will plan for that reaction and try to soften the impact of our message.

With all that said, many students will end up writing a persuasive letter. A few suggested writing to the school board about the dress code. I have to think about this. I know the topic is on their mind, but I had a more personal letter in mind. I don't want letters to senators to stop global warming. There has to be someone in our lives that we aren't being totally honest with about our feelings and we just need to get them out. The letter can be pretend as well. Hey, if this were the DSTP, and they can't think of what to write, they might have to make something up to be able to write the essay.

February 20, 2008

Homework: 

Pictionaries 11-20 and synonyms unit 10

Today:

Daily Spelling

Discussed words 11-20 unit 10

All recordings are finished (I will post them over the weekend.)

We began our next assignment based on the song "Gotta Go My Own Way."

February 19, 2008

Homework: Pictionaries 1-10 unit 10

Today:
New Daily Drill- Each day I will be giving students 10 spelling words. These are from a list of 250 tricky words in our grammar books. Most of them have a letter or two that is frequently wrong. (As one who has trouble spelling, these words annoy me. )

The students will spell the words as best they can. Then I will put up the correct spellings. They should keep them organized in their English notebook. I will have an open note test when we are finished with all the words. If a student is absent, he can check this page.

I handed out grade slips to sections 1,2,6,7. They do not have to be signed.
We listened to words 1-10 unit 10 in vocab.
Most of my classes are finishing up reading the 300 word pieces.

A note about last week
I have been absent 4 days in the last week or so. My daughter was sick. Then my son got strep throat. It has been frustrating, not only because my children were miserable, but my classes got behind. However, the assignments the students completed with the subs were well planned and relevant. They did count for grades, as well as students' class participation! Whenever I am absent, I try very hard to give the subs something to teach. I never expect my students to just play when there is a sub. Some did, and that is reflected in their grades.

I am back in my room!

Here is the transformation so far. Obviously there is a lot of work to be done, but I am not putting the old stuff back up until we finish our 300 word pieces. I want this year's students to have their stuff put up first. When we are done reading and recording, there will be 127 little boxes hanging above the seats the students occupied... until the next time the ceiling has to be removed, or worse, I have to change rooms! Perish the thought!
-MrBoZ

(Yes, it was stressful. The temporary room was awful!)

February 8, 2008

Homework:
Sections 1,2,6,7 should have their 300 word piece and cube done for Monday.
They will be reading their piece to the class. They will be recorded.
You can find the requirements here.

Today:
Sections 1,2,3,6 were given grade slips that need to be signed.
We reviewed the choosing the right word for vocabulary.
Sections 1 and 2 discussed how a narrative is a series of exploded moments. We discussed how narratives play with time.
Sections 3,6,7 discussed the requirements for the 300 word piece. They were given time to work on the piece. The piece should be hand written on an index card.

(Those were boring sentences! It must be Friday!)

February 7, 2008

Homework:
Choosing the right word unit 8
Bring in the picture for the 300 word assignment

Today:
Reviewed vocab answers
(sections 1 and 2 got their DuPont Challenge essays back)
I had the students practice writing descriptive pieces as practice.
Here is the assignment page for the 300 word piece.

February 5, 2008

Homework:
Pictionaries 1-10 unit 9
Bring in a picture for the project

Today:
We reviewed the schedule for the week.
We discussed unit 9 vocab words 1-10.
We began practicing for the next writing piece.

I will take some time soon to make a page to fully explain the next writing piece. In short, we will be practicing a skill called "exploding the moment." The next piece will not be a narrative, but it will focus on a writing technique that should be used in narratives.

Students this age are starting to write in a more mature writing style. When they were younger, narratives tended to have a bed to bed quality; they tell you everything that happened in order. More mature writers are reflective and play with time. They slow down certain moments to give sensory details and thoughts, making the moments linger. The narrative become less about the moment and more about the writer and how he has grown. By limiting the piece to 300 words and a 30 second moment, I am trying to get the students to be as descriptive as possible in a short space.

January 31, 2008

Homework:
Sections 1,2,6,7 Good Draft of Narrative due Friday

Today:
Quiz
Looked at good narrative example
Peer review of rough draft

January 30, 2008

Homework:
Flashcards section 6 and 7
Study for quiz 8
Bring rough draft to class tomorrow

Today:
Reviewed the rest of the vocabulary unit
Reviewed parts of speech
Read a sample essay that needed some improvement

In sections 1 and 2 we reflected on how we wrote our pieces. Another person read the essay. Tomorrow we will spend more time reading each other's essays. We discussed what the goal of the essay was. What was the reader trying to communicate through the event in the essay? I had one student who told me he meant to say one thing, but the reader was thinking he said another. I told him to think about that feedback. Maybe he needs to clarify something. Maybe he doesn't. I also discussed the feedback I received on my essay and what I planned to do with it.

January 29, 2008

Homework:
Finish Unit 8 Vocab
Rough Draft of essay due Wednesday
(Section 3 has no vocab nor is the rough draft due.)

Today:
Reviewed completing the sentence
Discussed qualities of a narrative
S.S.W. time in 6 and 7
Long lecture in 1 and 2
Some brainstorming time in 3

January 28, 2008

Homework:
Completing the sentence unit 8
Rough draft due Wednesday

Today:
We reviewed the schedule for the week.
Then we watched an episode of "The Wonder Years" where Winnie Cooper gets in an accident. We are currently writing narratives, and the narrator for the show is a great example of the voice their papers should have. The older narrator is commenting throughout on the actions he was doing in the story.
The story is also great because of how it is told. There is a nugget of knowledge the writer shares at the end. The events in the story progress us towards that realization. In fact, the episode was about the accident, yet the reason the writer used that event was to share something he has learned about life with us. He states, "There are things in a life that matter, things in a past which can't be denied."
If he were to just give us this wisdom on a fortune cookie slip, we could read the same words and nod our head to its wisdom. Instead, a good writer is not interested in just telling us the point. He crafts the story to deliver the story with as much impact as possible. That is the result of this episode. It is so touching that I cried 4 out of the 5 times I showed it today. A writer wants his audience to me moved.

January 25, 2007

Homework:
None

Today:
Vocab
I discussed how my essay was progressing.
S.S.W. time to work on their essays

Message:
Dear Parents,
I assume by now you have received the gradebook login instructions from the school district. If you did not get these instructions by mail, please contact the office.
I wanted to let you know that I plan to update grades as often as I can, but I will say that I cannot spend all of my time entering grades. Although there are suggested timelines for entering grades, realistically I do my grades when I have a few to enter. When I do major updates, I will alert you with an e-mail. I am going to try a system of entering certain grades by the end of the week, but I do need time to grade things as well.
I also wanted to remind you that I have due dates posted on MrBoZ.com. There is a calendar and a daily blog to keep you informed of upcoming assignments.
The students are in the middle of a narrative essay right now. If you look on my website, you will see the prompt. The rough draft will be due around Wednesday with the good draft due Friday. The essay will be one of a few essays the students will chose from to submit their best essay. More details on that will follow.
Have a nice weekend.
-MrBoZ

January 24, 2008

Homework:
Choosing the right word unit 8 (Sections 1,2,6,7)
Work on "I don't dance" essay due next Friday

Today
Reviewed answers to vocab
Watched 3 home videos to demonstrate how the essay could be written
Explained my ideas for my essay
(Sections 1 and 2 read a sample essay to discuss narrative style.)
S.S.W. time to work on the essay

I think I will give kids a good amount or work time tomorrow. I also need to work on my essay. I have a great idea that I have to write on. The topic needs to be worked on- for my own understanding and because the topic will be relevant to the students one day.

January 23, 2008

Homework:
Sections 1,2,6,7: Pictionaries 11-20 and synonyms
Keep thinking about the new writing topic: "I don't dance!"

Today:
Introduction Daily Drill
Listened to words 11-20 Unit 8
Continued to discuss the new writing topic

I will hand out a printed topic sheet tomorrow.

January 22, 2008

Homework:
Pictionaries 1-10 unit 8
(Section 3 will be doing all homework in class for unit 8.)

Today:
Discussed calendar
Listened to words 1-10 unit 8
Watched video from High School Musical 2

We are just beginning the next essay. It should be done by February 1.

January 17, 2008

Homework:
DuPont Challenge essay is due Friday! (Tomorrow)

Today:
Sections 1 and 2 poured over their essays and the requirements making sure they had everything they needed.

Sections 3, 6, and 7 pair-shared looking for spelling and grammar errors, a well as discussed ways to improve their essays... for those who brought in the revised essay as I had asked.

Over the course of this research project, the saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can not make him drink" went through my head. For many students, I worked harder than they did. But for many who did work really hard, the results are going to be outstanding! I am hoping for a winner of The DuPont Challenge to come from H.B. duPont.

January 16, 2008

Homework:
Sections 3, 6, and 7 should have another draft of their essay. (I said this yesterday, but no one had one. I don't think they caught what I was saying. That is OK. They know from today's lesson what we will be doing to their essays tomorrow.)

Sections 1 and 2 should bring in a perfect draft of their essays tomorrow. They should have perfect grammar and spelling. They should also have their citations and bibliography. I also asked them to have a submission form filled in so it can be checked for accuracy.

Today:
Sections 1 and 2 read over other students' essays making suggestions about submission. I had the students think about how the essay they were reading compared to the winning essay. I had them suggest to the writer whether the essay was up to the standard required to win (or just worthy of subitting for consideration). Regardless of the suggestion, students can submit. However, I would like only the best essays submitted. Some students' essays are not up to the standard. I don't want to waste the time of the DuPont Challenge people. All essays will be graded by me anyway.

Sections 3, 6, and 7 practiced proofreading techniques. Tomorrow I will let them read multiple papers offering suggestions for revision.

January 15, 2008

Homework:
Quiz Unit 7 tomorrow- Sections 3, 6, and 7 should make flashcards
Sections 3, 6, and 7 should be revising their essays

Today:
Sections 1 and 2 discussed citations for their essays. We read an essay and discussed how some of the information required citations that tell where the writer got the information from. I discussed the basic MLA citations and gave them a paper with examples. There is a web page that lists common examples. The paper was also a good example of style and voice. Looking at the way the essays will be scored, I see that 30% is judged on style, creativity, and voice. When we read the winning essay, I thought it did not have good voice or any style. This paper, in my opinion, did.

Sections 3, 6, and 7 read a sample essay and made flashcards. For students who were prepared with a rough draft, I had a quick, individual conference to offer them suggestions for revision. I asked the students to make those revisions for Wednesday. Another rough draft is due tomorrow.

January 14, 2008

Homework:
Finish up the vocab unit.
Quiz on unit 7 on Wednesday
I would use tonight to study for Wednesday's quiz.

Today:
In all classes, we read an introduction that was too long and made it concise. We discussed how it was an example of the nostalgia handshake technique. (You can see all the introductions we have discussed on the daily drill archive.)

In sections 1 and 2, we read the winning essay for the DuPont Challenge again. Now that the students have written their essays, I had them think about their own papers. That's all the farther we got today. We had a small discussion about voice. (Tomorrow we will discuss citations and support.)

In sections 3 and 6, we read over a sample essay looking at organization and details. We then looked at our own essays to see what needs to be changed. Some essays are a little light on details. Tomorrow we will continue to discuss organization and development of their essays. We will be asking what the reader wants to know.

Section 7 had MAP testing, so we missed about half of class while students straggled in.

January 11, 2008

Homework:
I gave a grade slip to sections 1,2,6, and 7. (Section 3 was in the library.)
A draft of the DuPont Challenge essay is due Monday.

Dear Parents,
We spent this week listening to presentations on the students' topics for the DuPont Challenge. The purpose of the presentations was to get the students to talk about what they would later write about. The goal was to have the students see if they know enough to begin writing. A few too many were not able to discuss their topics with authority. That is unfortunate. Research time was supposed to be over.

I am writing to you for your assistance. Please help your child find a few hours this weekend to write the rough draft of the essay. The requirements are listed on MrBoZ.com. On Monday, I want to begin a week-long process of revision. If the students do not have anything to revise, they will not be able to participate. Revision takes time. It also takes something to revise! :)

I am asking the students to write a persuasive essay where science is the hero. It should be 700-1000 words. In sections 1 and 2, I will be teaching students how to include citations. A bibliography is required. I suggest using easybib.com.

Thank you for your help.
-MrBoZ

January 10, 2008

Homework:
Completing the sentence unit 7
Draft of the DuPont Challenge is due Monday.

Today:
We reviewed a sample DuPont Challenge essay. We looked at how it is organized and discussed techniques for improving the essay. I wanted to show the students a model so they have something to shoot for (or above).

I have also been told by Dr. T. Hounsell that the people at the DuPont Challenge only want the best of the best. Therefore, towards the end of next week, I will be teaching the students in sections 1 and 2 how to score essays. Those two classes will determine the top essays that need to be sent in. I do not have time to read all of them and decide. I will, however, be scoring the essays for a grade.

P.S. If you are interested, I have created a gallery of pictures for the renovation of my room. You can view the pictures on this page.

January 9, 2008

Homework:
Choosing the right word unit 7
Continue working on the DuPont Challenge essay

Today:
I gave classes the suggested outline for the DuPont Challenge essay.
We tried to finish the presentations. Many classes are done.
We will be reading a sample essay for discussion tomorrow in most classes.

If you want to see the handouts, you can go here. Scroll down to the handouts.

January 8, 2008

Homework:
Pictionaries 11-20 and synonyms unit 7
The rough draft of the DuPont Challenge is due Monday

Today:
I am teaching the students a new daily drill. We are focusing on introductions for the month of January. There is a page explaining the new daily drills on www.mrboz.com.
It is located under the daily drill archives.

Some classes reviewed the next 10 words in unit 7.
Students continued to present their topics. After each presentation I question the student to see how much he knows and try to get him thinking about places in his topic where he could do more research. Every presentation is a lesson.

As soon as the presentations are done, we will look at a sample essay and discuss a suggested outline. My goal is to have the rough draft written by Friday. I will put a link to the suggested outline sheet on my web page tomorrow.

I hope to have a grade slip by the end of the week. I only have a few grades to enter.

January 7, 2007

Homework:
1 -10 Pictionaries unit 7
Be prepared for your presentation

Today:
It was my first day in room 108. I have been officially kicked out of 232! I had to take down 10 years worth of stuff from my ceiling. Needless to say, today's transition to a new room was a little stressful.

The goal for this week is to help the students organize their details for the DuPont essay contest. For the first few days of this week, the students are giving presentations explaining what they will write about. The theory behind this is that if they can't explain what they are writing on, they are not ready to write their papers. I can also tell if they have enough information for a paper. They have had more than enough guidance to accomplish this task.

I also want to say that I have gotten behind on some of my daily web page postings, especially this blog. I am sorry. I am updating the classroom schedule right after this.

December 20, 2007

(I will not be in school Friday.)

I sent this in an e-mail to all parents today. If you did not get it, I do not have your e-mail address.

Dear Parents,
I am sending this message to let you know that I am expecting students to do some research over the break. If you check out the classroom calendar on www.mrboz.com, you will see my plans for getting the essay for The DuPont Challenge completed. Although we spent four days in the writing lab this week, many students did not get as much done as I would have hoped. I suggest students spend a few hours continuing to research and take notes over the break.

If the topic of The DuPont Challenge is confusing, I told the students to think about science as a hero. Write a report on a discovery or invention where science is the hero for one of humanity's problems. There is a sample on the DuPont site if you need one.

I, too, will be doing some work over the break. As I have explained in my blog, I got bogged down with work and did not get to finish grading all the love essays. As much as I love reading them, they take time, and I want to do things right. I will have all of the essays graded when we come back. I handed out grade slips yesterday and today. Half the students have "exc" listed as the grade for the essay. That means "excused." I will update the grades when I am done.

Finally, at this time of the year, I would like to express my love and caring for all of you by saying "Merry Christmas."
-MrBoZ

December 19, 2007

Homework:
Continue to research for the DuPont Challenge

Today:
We were in the writing lab again. In sections 3, 6, and 7, I am trying my best to get the kids to focus on a topic. I am getting frustrated because the children are not using the class time effectively. This is a persuasive research paper, yet many students don't even know what they will be writing on. Therefore, I added two more links on MrBoZ.com. They link to Time Magazine's lists of inventions and discoveries. I figure students can pick one of these and research it more. The goal is to explain how the invention will better humanity. Regardless, I have updated the due dates. See the classroom calendar on MrBoZ.com.

I am handing out updated grade slips today and tomorrow. They do not have to be signed. I want to explain, though, that not all of the love essays have been graded. On the slip they are excused for now. All of the essays will be scored over the break. This time of year is so busy, and I got overwhelmed. However, if you want to read a good example of a love essay, you can read this!

I will not be in school on Friday. I expect the students to research over the break.

December 18, 2007

Homework:
Continue researching
Sections 1 and 2 should have a preliminary topic for tomorrow and be ready for the quiz.
Sections 3, 6, and 7 will have an open book quiz on Unit 6. They will research one more day.

Today:
I tried to get the students focused on a topic for the DuPont Challenge.
1. Pick a topic you like that is science related.
2. As you research it, look for the way that it is solving a problem.
3. Explore the solutions your topic is offering people.
4. How does your topic influence other areas of science?
5. Is there any opposition to your topic?

I was discussing an example of data storage. As someone who relies on computers daily, at home and at school, I understand the need for reliable data storage. I was explaining that there are multiple topics relating to storage. There are the topics of size and reliability for which science is providing solutions. But I was also playing with the topic of archiving. Will our data be available in the future? Grandma's leather bound photo album is viewable. So are scrolls from 2000 years ago. Will the electronic documents and pictures we create today be available to people in the future? How many of us have records we can't play? I have floppies with no drive to read them. (I don't need them anyway, but you get the point.)

December 17, 2007

***Here is a great example of the love essay ***

Homework:
Finish unit 6 vocabulary
Students can be researching their topic.
The preliminary topic is due this Wednesday.

Today:
We began researching for The DuPont Challenge. Here is the assignment page.
We were in the writing lab today. Sections 3,6,and 7 answered some questions to get them thinking about what problems the world has and how science can offer solutions.

Unfortunately, some students think computer time is fun time. Also, with this being the week before a big break, they think what they do this week does not count. It will! In fact, all of their research is due the second week after the break. That is not an endless amount of time! Here is the calendar of due dates.

December 12, 2007

Homework:
Completing the sentence unit 6
(Must underline/highlight context clues.)

Today:
Sections 3,6, and 7 finished the agreement unit today. They took the end of the unit assessment.
Sections 1 and 2 got an introduction to the next writing assignment: The DuPont Challenge 2008 It is a contest!

More details about the essay will follow; however, the website is great! One reason I want to do the essay is because it is sponsored by DuPont, a local company. The essay also ties in with science and technology, a hot topic in education today. Furthermore, the guidelines and suggestions on the site spell out exactly what students need to create. After seeing how well students researched for the love essays, I know they will do well on this essay. I also plan to come up with a plan for submitting the essays for the contest.

For this essay I will focus on research skills, organization, comparing and scoring essays, and voice. We will look at some of the love essays to discuss how to organize our research. The sample for the contest is good, but it is so dry. I want to help students create a persuasive essay filled with scientific details that is interesting to read.

Research will be done next week, during break if they are dedicated, and during the first week back to school. After that, the students will be organizing and writing. The contest requires the papers to be submitted by January 28. We will be done before that.

Different classes will have different requirements. I will make those decisions as the unit progresses. Not all students are able to write a 700-1000 word essay. However, some students will be challenged to stay below 1000 words! This should be fun.

December 11, 2007

Homework:
Pictionaries 11-20 and synonyms unit 6

Today:
All the classes are at different spots. Some are completely done agreement. Others are almost done. I think we will be done with grammar by Thursday. Sections 1 and 2 will do something tomorrow while the other classes catch up.

December 10, 2007

Homework:
Unit 6 pictionaries 1-10

Today:
We are in the process of finishing up the unit on subject/verb agreement. Sections 1 and 2 are done. When they took an assessment, they had trouble, so I spent today reteaching the material. I then gave them an alternative assessment. I will take the higher of the two scores. These two classes will be scoring essays for the next two days.

Sections 3,6 and 7 are still finishing the grammar. After seeing how sections 1 and 2 did on the assessment, I am using an alternative strategy for finishing up the unit. These classes should be finished in the next two days.

December 6, 2007

Homework:
Grade slips! Many have not been returned.

Today:
Buzzword
Sections 1 and 2 finished the agreement unit. They took an assessment. Some did well. Others... well, maybe the test should be in another format. Regardless, my goal was to expose them to the rules and give them some practice. As their writing develops over the years, they will begin to apply some of these rules to their own writing. That is when what we covered will become relevant. These two classes will begin scoring essays until the other classes finish. I need them to help me with the love essays. They can read them for the specific content I assigned. I will score the essays using the state rubric for writing. I have graded 27 of 127 essays. (They take a long time to grade!)

Sections 3,6, and 7 are just about finished with the agreement unit. They are about a 1 1/2 days behind. We will start a new unit around Wednesday of next week. I am not sure what it will be yet.

December 5, 2007

Homework:
Many students did not get their grade slips signed.

Today:
Buzzword
Quiz unit 5
Continued to discuss subject/verb agreement

Section 1 is done the grammar unit. I will give them an assessment tomorrow. Section 2 will be done the unit tomorrow. Their assessment might be tomorrow.

The rest of the classes are plugging away! Sections 1 and 2 will be scoring essays for two days while the other classes finish the grammar.

December 4, 2007

Homework:
Flashcards sections 3,6,7
Study for quiz unit 5
Get the grade slip signed

Today:
Buzzword
Reviewed vocab homework
Practiced a study technique for parts of speech for vocab words
Continued to discuss subject/verb agreement

Parents, I sent home a grade slip today. Please sign and return. Thank you.

December 3, 2007

Homework:
Finish unit 5 work
Sections 3,6,7: I suggest you make flashcards tonight

Today:
Buzzword
Reviewed the schedule for the week
Continued with the lessons on subject/verb agreement

My plan is to finish sub/verb agreement this week and have a quiz on it Thursday. We will see how that goes.