What we did:

• Worksheet #2 on redundancy (not period 6)
• Period 6: quiz on redundancy

Homework:

• Read for 20 minutes
• Quiz on Monday! (not for 6th period)

Today we:

• Finished redundancy worksheet #1 and #2 (6th period also finished #3)
• Reviewed the close reading assignment
• reviewed several of the redundancy worksheets
• Caught up with missing assignments and worked on poems and pictures to submit to the Dr. Suess contest

Homework:

• read for 20 minutes
• reading log will be reported tomorrow!

• Today we worked on the “Zoos = Yes or No?” Essay
• Goal score: 25 or above on Utah Write
• Students who finished the “Zoos” essay started the Narrative essay on the “American Gothic” painting

Homework:

• Read for 20 minutes
• Catch up on missing work

Today we:

• practiced writing the alphabet in cursive (bell ringer)
• reviewed procedures and policies: bookshelf, coming in to class, and what to bring/not to bring to class
• did a close reading assignment individually

Homework:

• read for 20 minutes
• finish close reading (for those who did not finish it during class)

Today we finished rough-drafting our “Yes to College” essay. It needed to be at least 5 paragraphs in length, follow the outline we made together as a class, and be handwritten in cursive. We worked in partnerships.

Homework today was to finish drafting the essay if it was not finished during class, read for 20 minutes (reading will be logged tomorrow!), and bring any library books to class tomorrow because we will be going to the library!

This week so far we have:

• started an argumentative essay as a class
• drafted said essay
• tried to catch up on any missing assignments

see attached outline graphic organizer to get caught up. The essay is on why it is a good idea to go to college. The resources used are also below:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/facebook-paypals-peter-thiel-pays-college-students-drop/story?id=13693632

Importance of College Education

Today we:

• Refreshed our memories of a couple of miscellaneous policies
• Typed essays onto utahwrite.com

Homework:

• read for 20 minutes
• finish typing essay by Monday (I know it’s not a school day, and I would say to please type it up by the end of today seeing as it is technically “due” today, but I’m not grading them until Monday morning, so I would like to be nice and give you a little extra time over the weekend. Aren’t I so nice?)

Here is the letter I read to you during class about policies:

Friday, 17 January 2014

Dear students and parents:

We’ve made it halfway through 7^th grade! It’s been a while since the original disclosure document for this class went home, so this is a friendly reminder of some important English 7 policies:

• If a student needs extra help, I am available before school from 8 to 8:15 and after school from 3:30 to 4:00.
• Students who have excused absences are given 1 day extra to make up missing assignments for each day absent. For example, if Suzy is absent for 3 days, she has 3 additional school days to make up the missing work. Because changes in grades sometimes take up to 1 week to be reflected in SIS, it is the student’s responsibility to keep track of what he or she has missed and how long they have to make up the work.
• Additionally, absent students should look at the class blog for missing assignments before asking the teacher (me) “what did I miss?” or even worse, “did I miss anything?” (No, we missed you so much that we sat on our hands and cried the whole time you were absent! Of course you missed something!).
• Students who turn work in late or have unexcused absences receive 50% credit.
• Late work may only be turned in for up to 7 calendar days after the due date.
• Extra credit is only applied at the end of the term, and only if all assignments are turned in.
• There is a class blog. It is located at:
  • www.blogs.syracuseartsacademy.org/hbarnhart

I think we are having a great year, and I look forward to the second half! There are a few changes to our class that I would like to make you aware of:

• There will be no more journal assignments, though the reading log assignment will continue as usual.
• We will be writing several essays in the upcoming weeks. Keep up!
• Students are no longer allowed to sharpen pencils during class time. Pencils must be sharpened in between the bells only.

Thank you for your time!

Your teacher,

Heidi Barnhart, B. A.

What we did:

• Outlines were due today
• Worked on rough drafts: due tomorrow

Homework:

• read for 20 minutes
• Reading log due tomorrow
• Rough draft due tomorrow

Please make sure you have turned in:

1. The “Beowulf: Hero or Villain?” essay

2. Close reading on Jane Austen

3. Close reading on “Break, Break, Break” by Tennyson

Because FRIDAY is the beginning of the new term!

But we’re not waiting to get started! Yesterday we picked a topic to write a research report/informative essay about. The rules about picking a topic are as follows:

1. No people (we will be writing biographies later)

2. No TV, movie, or video game related topics

3. It must be specific. IE, don’t pick “whales” pick “beluga whales!”

4. If you are unsure about a topic, ask me and I will let you know!

Today we began the research of the topic. There is a graphic organizer attached that should help you. You must have 3 different sources each with 5 unique facts about your topic. The sources need to be “reputable.” We had a discussion about what this means in class. Because wikipedia.org is 4% more accurate than the Encyclopedia Britannica and has a vast array of article topics, it may be used as one of your sources. You may use the “References” and “External links” part of the wikipedia page to find the other 2 sources.

The link to the graphic organizer is below:

research notes

Today we:

• Journal: the best present you ever got for Christmas
• Type and formatted essay (MLA format)

Homework:

• Finish journal
• Read for 20 minutes
• Catch up on essay assignments