Transcript New Semester!! Things to keep in mind

New Semester!!
Things to keep in mind
Remember the Discipline
Policy
Three strikes in one
class period and
you’re out!!
• First problem-writing
lines.
• Second problem-green
slip.
• Third problem-pink
slip.
By the second
semester no warnings
should be necessary.
Everyone knows what
is expected. I am not
your parent and you
are responsible for
your own behavior. We
can all get along
better. 
Review of major rules
1. Be in your seat when the bell rings.
2. Be prepared.
3. There is a time for talking and a time for
working. Know the difference.
4. Please do not adjust the shades or open
the windows without permission. The
shades are torn at the top from people
pulling on them and not knowing how to
get them up.
Last Semester
Last semester we:
• Read, discussed and wrote about novels, short stories and poems.
• Did DOLs. The DOLs became the focus for our semester’s
grammar reviews. (the weekly packets you did.) The main grammar
we focused on were: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, commas and
punctuation.
• Did a ton of creative writing.
• Did DOAs.
• Did a research paper.
Every thing we did was for a reason, we will be adding on it this new
semester.
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This Semester
We will still do DOL’s and DOA’s. We will alternate the days. On
MW, we will have DOL’s. On TTH, we will have DOA’s. Our week’s
grammar focus will still come from the DOL’s, it will just become
more complex.
We will now have a vocabulary unit every week. The words will be
introduced on Monday. There will be various activities throughout
the week and a quiz on Friday. The quiz will include vocab, dols and
doas.
We will add a new activity to our opening, not only will it be a DOL
or a DOA, but you will also be doing freewriting everyday for the
first five minutes of class. We will discuss this further later.
Much more of our reading will be done on your own. Please try to
follow our reading schedule to make things easier for you.
We will still do a lot of creative writing, but will also learn the
different types of writing: expository, descriptive, narrative,
persuasive, etc. Juniors will do timed ACT prep writing.
Every AR book for the new semester will include a project or
paper. There will be one due every month. Every book will have a
different requirement. You will not get credit if I did not approve
your book.
Books Freshmen will read
• We will start with To Kill A
Mockingbird.
• Romeo and Juliet
• The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in
the Moon Marigolds
• The House on Mango Street
• Witness
Books Juniors will read
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The Great Gatsby
A Raisin in the Sun
Fahrenheit 451
Maus
TBA
Website
• If you ever wonder if I do lesson plans, or
have a focus for what we are doing…the
answer is YES. If you would like to see
what we will be working on, or what state
standards we are focusing on please see
my wiki. It is updated every Friday. The
address is as follows:
http://mccallenglish.wikispaces.com/
Vocabulary
Unit 1
• Write the word, the definition and
the sample sentence in your
notebook. Make sure you label it Unit
1.
cache
• hiding place to store something
The robber led detectives to a cache
of stolen gems in the basement.
commend
• praise; mention favorably
Our class was commended for
outstanding behavior when we had a
substitute.
cur
• worthless dog
Smiley is a kind and intelligent animal.
Please don’t refer to him as a “cur.”
despotic
• of a despot (a monarch having
absolute power); domineering;
dictatorial; tyrannical
The American colonists revolted
against the despotic rule of King
George III.
dispute
• argue about; debate; declare not
true; call into question; oppose
Charley disputed my solution until I
showed him definite proof that I was
right.
edifice
• building, especially a large or
impressive building
The huge edifice under construction
near the airport will be a hotel.
era
• historical period; period of time
The atomic era began with the
dropping of the first atomic bomb in
1945.
The 80’s Era
initiate
• v
• (1) begin; introduce; originate
The Pilgrims initiated the custom of
celebrating Thanksgiving Day.
• (2) admit or induct into a club by
special ceremonies
Next Friday our club is going to initiate
three new members.
Jolly Roger
• pirates’ flag; black flag with white
skull and crossbones
The Jolly Roger flying from the mast
of the approaching ship indicated
that it was a pirate ship.
multitude
• crowd; throng; horde; swarm
There was such a multitude outside the
store waiting for the sale to begin
that we decided to return later.
perceive
• become aware of through the senses;
see; note; observe
When the lights went out, I couldn’t
see a thing, but gradually I was able
to perceive the outlines of the larger
pieces of furniture.
portal
• Door; entrance, especially a grand or
impressive one
The original doors at the main entrance
have been replaced by bronze
portals.
reserved
• adj. restrained in speech or action;
uncommunicative
Mark was reserved at first but became
much more communicative when he
got to know us better.
restrain
• hold back; check; curb; repress
Mildred could not restrain her impulse
to open the package immediately,
even though it read, “Do not open
before Christmas!”
spine
• chain of small bones down the middle
of the back; backbone
The ribs are curved bones extending
from the spine and enclosing the
upper part of the body.
stroll
• idle and leisurely walk
It was a warm spring afternoon, and
many people were out for a stroll.
timorous
• full of fear; afraid; timid
I admit I was timorous when I began
my speech, but as I went along, I felt
less and less afraid.
tuition
• payment for instruction
When I go to college, I will probably
work each summer to help pay the
tuition.
version
• (1) account or description from a particular
point of view
Now that we have Vera’s description of the
accident, let us listen to your version.
• (2) translation
THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO was written
in French, but you can read it in the English
version.
Homework
• Vocabulary war sentences.
Directions: Use at least five vocabulary
words in one sentence. Must make
sense.
Do 2 sentences. 
Starting Activity
• DOL or DOA plus free writing or
focused free writing.
FREEWRITING
• This is a method many writers use to warm
up and get ideas on paper.
• Here are the guidelines:
– for five or ten full minutes, write without
stopping about anything that comes into your
head.
– Don’t worry about grammar or about writing
complete sentences; just set a timer and go.
– If you get stuck, repeat or rhyme the last
word you wrote, but keep writing nonstop until
the timer sounds.
FOCUSED
FREEWRITING
• In focused freewriting, you try to
focus your thoughts on one subject
as you free-write.
• The subject can be one assigned by
your teacher, one you choose, or one
you discover in unfocused
freewriting.
Let’s practice each of
these…
• Freewrite for 5 minutes- any topic
Do not stop writing until the buzzer
goes off. 
Focused Freewrite
Focused Freewrite for 5 minutesPretend that you are married and your
spouse has gotten a dream job, the
only problem is you would have to
move out of the country. S/he
accepted the job without talking to
you. How do you feel, what do you do?
Things to remember
• Keep all your daily freewrites and
DOl’s/A’s dated in your notebook. You
will turn them in on Fridays for
Freshmen, Thursdays for Juniors.