Moving Toward Publication

Good morning, Today we worked on setting up your CreateSpace accounts. You can find the link to CreateSpace on your NaNoWriMo winner's page.

A really important part of getting your book ready for publication is formatting the interior of your book. Use the guidelines here to help you with that. (You will need to be logged in to CreateSpace for that link to work.)  I HIGHLY recommend downloading the Word template that matches the size of the book you want to create from that page.  Get the one that has 'sample formated content'. That will make it much easier for you to see where you need to paste in your material. (Like the highlighted part below.)

Of course, you must finish editing your novel before you can even think of getting to this part. So, if you haven't finished editing, stop dreaming about format and get back to work.

Revision 4

Opening adverbs
Editing
My.sandi.net and the importance of shutting down completely.

Revision 3

Do Now:  Rearrange the words and phrases below to create a sentence that begins with an opening adjective.

• after dinner
• Jeremy
• anxious
• waited to see what his mother would say

Our list today:
Combining sentences
Excerpt revision and editing
Learning to use My.sandi.net

Revision 2

DO NOW: (in WN)
Write three sentences that begin with an opening adjective, or two opening adjectives, or an opening adjective phrase.

Have you:
-Selected your excerpt that you want me to use to evaluate your novel?
-Revised that excerpt if needed?
-Edited that excerpt very carefully?
-Reviewed your partners novel (the opening)?
-Checked on the purpose of your chapters?

Lets work some more on our revision plan. 

Review from yesterday:

Are you using your chapters purposefully? Remember chapters serve a purpose.

• Change perspective, talk about a different character
• Change time, skip hours, days, months, years or go back in time, flashback, years, months, days, hours
• Change setting
• Create suspense
• Short chapter with a sub plot
• Give the reader a chance to think
• Distracting the reader from one event to another

Revision

Good morning,
   We have a lot to accomplish for the rest of this week and next. I'm making a list.

1. Finish reviewing the beginning of your partner's novel. Use the Reader Review Form to send your feedback.
2. Make a revision plan for yourself. (We are going to start on that together today) You will need this page from NaNoWriMo.
3. Revise your novel. (daily) You have a large text to revise, work on it every day.
4. Select an excerpt of your novel for me to evaluate. Make sure that excerpt is perfect, all mistakes fixed, great word choices, includes some fancy techniques like flashback, foreshadowing and figurative language.

Excerpt Directions:

1. Select a section of your novel from 500-1000 words. This section should be a good example of your writing and will probably be about something important from your novel.  
2. Mark this section with the word "excerpt" at the beginning and "excerpt" again at the end. Also highlight it in light green.
3. Proofread this section carefully. Make sure it is very perfect, like a final draft.

Homework: Finish your review of the opening of your partner's novel. Decide on your excerpt and edit that. Check your chapter structure and revise if needed.

Writing Partners Review

Good morning:


Do Now:  (This is practice from what we did on Friday. If you were absent or need a review look at the slides in the post below.)  You will need the sentence below to work with.

Ted was tired as he walked home from dance class.

A. Write that sentence in your WN (writer's notebook) and highlight the adjective.
B. Rewrite the sentence so that it opens with the adjective.
C. Rewrite the sentence again so that it opens with TWO opening adjectives, make sure one of them is much more interesting than the adjective you have already.

Great, now lets take a look at what NaNoWriMo says about writing workshop. CLICK HERE

Today you will also need the Reader Review Form

Homework: If you were unable to complete your review and submit your form during class please make sure you get that done tonight.

Catching up- Opening Adjectives

If you missed class today then you missed out.  We had to catch up on a grammar lesson about opening adjectives and it was a lot of fun. (Yes, I just said grammar and fun in the same sentence.) Review the slides below and check notes with a classmate.

You Won!

Congratulations to everyone! Awesome job and a whole lot of fun.

Do Now: Go to your writer's notebook in docs. 
Spend a few minutes writing your thoughts about the NaNoWriMo experience. What did you like or not like? What did you learn about writing, about novels, about yourself?

LAST DAY of NANOWRIMO!

Well here we are. It's the end of November. Today is the last day to finish your novel. We have many winners already and many more to come through out the day! Congratulations everyone for your amazing noveling stamina.

Day 18: NaNoWriMo

Good morning,

Happy Friday.  By today you should be at 60% of your novel.  Remember your last day to change your word count goal is next Wednesday, but the important part is to keep writing every day over break. You'll have lots of extra time right?   Also keep updating your reading progress in GoodReads!

I'm so impressed by your stamina and determination to write these books. You are all amazing.  As you read this I am in Chicago telling hundreds of other English teachers how awesome my students are and picking up some great new books to share with you after break.  Now get to work and write a novel.

Day 17: NaNoWriMo

Good morning,

I'm sorry I can't be with you today.  You need to work on your novel, but before you do will you please answer a few quick questions for me.   After that work on your novel. You can email me if you need to, but it might take me a while to get back to you.

Day 16: NaNoWriMo

Whoo Hoo!
We are halfway through November are you half way through your novel?  Since I'm out of town for the next two days we have one more crucial lesson to get to today. We are going to go deeper into your novel.

Choose a 500 word section that you can share with your writing partner. Highlight it in your novel. I'll explain how we are going to use that in a moment.

DO NOW:

Go to your Writers Notebook. Yes, your writer's notebook in docs. Add an entry for today.  That entry should be the beginning of a novel that starts in this room. You are the protagonist of this novel that starts in this room. You must include details about the room that relate to the sights, sounds, smells and feel of this room. Taste might even be a factor too, (but please don't lick your desk or any classmates.)

As of today you should be hitting 40%, yes 40%.  If you are having trouble hitting your word count adding more details to your novel can help. Describe your settings in detail and watch your word count soar.

Read more about adding details.

Day 10: NaNoWriMo

Good morning,
   You should be very close to or just past 20%. If you haven't hit 20% yet you need to plan on doing a lot of writing in the next three days.  You won't have school so that should give you lots of time.
    For a few of you we need to consider revising your word count.

Principal Skinner

    In addition to writing I want you to give some thought to sub plots. The best place to see these quickly is in a 30 minute cartoon like The Simpsons, Phineas and Ferb or The Brady Bunch.  All of those shows usually have a main plot and also sub plots.  Read the Subplotting sheet from NaNoWriMo and add a sub plot to your novel.

Day 8: NaNoWriMo

Good morning,  You should be hitting 20% today. You should be into at least the inciting incident or the rising action of your novel.

Day 7: NaNoWriMo

Yes, it is Day SEVEN!  Did you write over the weekend. I know lots of you did. I was bragging about you at a technology conference. I pulled up my docs list as part of a presentation and I could see that many of you were noveling. I had to stop and tell my audience how cool my students are.

Here's a bit more advice about dialogue from NaNoWriMo. Check it out and get back to noveling.

Day 4: NaNoWriMo

Good morning,

I'm sorry I can't be with you today. I'm meeting with other 9th grade teachers to plan curriculum for you.
Please continue working on your novel.  make sure you stop at the end of the period to paste your entire novel into the word count verification box to update your total.  http://ywp.nanowrimo.org

Remember you should be at 10% complete by today. If you are not please write heavily over the weekend or think about how you might need to change your plot to fit a shorter word count.

If you have a question for me send me an email. I may respond.
If you were absent and missed the beginning of NaNoWriMo please re read the blog posts from this week and get started.

Day 3, NaNoWriMo... Dialog

Do Now:
Talk to your writing partner about the dialog in your novel so far while your computer is booting.


Example of dialog:

Dialog from Black Boy by Richard Wright

I was hungry and he knew it; but he was a white man and I felt that if I told him I was hungry I would have been revealing something shameful.

"Boy, I can see hunger in your face and eyes," he said.

"I get enough to eat," I lied.

"Then why do you keep so thin?" he asked me.

"You're just scared, boy," he said.

"Oh, no, sir," I lied again.

I could not look at him. I wanted to leave the counter, yet he was a white man and I had learned not to walk abruptly away from a white man when he was talking to me. I stood, my eyes looking away. He ran his hand into his pocket and pulled out a dollar bill.

 "Here, take this dollar and buy yourself some food," he said.

"No, sir," I said.

"Don't be a fool," he said. "You're ashamed to take it. God, boy, don't let a thing like that stop you from taking a dollar and eating."

The more he talked the more it became impossible for me to take the dollar. I wanted it, but I could not look at it. I wanted to speak, but I could not move my tongue. I wanted him to leave me alone. He frightened me.

 Extra advice about dialog.

Day 2! NaNoWriMo!

Do Now:
While your computer is booting talk to your writing partner about your novel so far. What's going well? What surprised you?

By Friday you should have 10% of your novel written.

NaNoWriMo Starts Now!

Do Now:
Create a new Google Doc. 
Name it like this period_your name_Novel (3_Rob_Novel OR 4_Sandy_Novel) and SHARE it with me. Then begin.

http://my.hsj.org/Portals/2/Schools/1201/Article325835_novels.jpg

We will stop 10 minutes before the period ends for word count updates. You may continue writing at home if you did not make your word goal for today yet.

Link to NaNoWriMo
http://ywp.nanowrimo.org

You can make a COPY of this spreadsheet to track your word count progress.

Less than ONE Day till NaNoWriMo!

Do Now:
What will happen in the beginning of your novel?

Beginnings
Word Counts

http://redkabbage.com/files/images/long_road.jpg

THREE days till NaNoWriMo!!

Do Now:
Describe a setting where your protagonist has been spending a lot of time.  Be specific, include lots of details, maybe even throw in some figurative language.

Lets read about setting.

Writing partners: What can you tell about the character from the description of the setting?
Plot Review: Share your plan for the plot of your novel with your partner.
Check yourself and each other. Is the climax really the most important and exciting moment in your novel?
HOMEWORK: Write an entry in your Writer's Notebook to describe a setting where your antagonist spends a lot of time.

Time for a pep talk:

FOUR days till NaNoWriMo

Do Now:
Explain what you learned (or already knew) from the reading you did last night about plot. What are your thoughts so far about the plot of your novel?

Plotting
Plot Generator
36 Plot Ideas

FIVE days till NaNoWriMo

Do Now:
Describe the character you have created (your protagonist) and the conflict he or she has with one or more antagonists.

Trying on writing partners:  I'm going to give you a chance to meet and talk with several writing partners in a moment. Make sure you know the names of the people you speak with. (Write them down on your index card.) Tell each one about your characters and conflicts. Listen to the advice they give you and the questions they ask you.

Visit NaNoWriMo to create an account or update word count goals.
Give me your NaNoWriMo user name if you have not already done this.

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/roller-coaster-19.jpg

Homework: Read about plot. I'm not kidding. You need to read this.

SIX days till NaNoWriMo!

Do Now:
Write an entry in your writer's notebook about a time when you really wanted something, but had a hard time getting it. Go into detail about what made it hard to acquire and how you handled the situation.

Answer 1 question for Cole.

Also today
Creating Conflict
Trying on a writing partner
Updating word count goals

sHomework: Complete "Creating Conflict" sheet.

SEVEN days till NaNoWriMo!

Do Now:
Take this Quick Quiz about On The Bridge.

Also open your writer's notebook:
Good Novel / Bad Novel
Workshop Partner
Author Bios

Homework: Complete the character questionnaire. Read!  (If you aren't at school you can print your own character questionaire here.)

What is a novel anyway?

Do Now:
What is a novel?

During class today you answered questions about your mentor novel and then wrote a book talk about it. You presented that book talk to several partners. 

Homework: Reading, "On The Bridge" I will know if you didn't read it. Make sure you know what happens to Seth's jacket. And if you don't know why he makes that choice read it again.

What is NaNoWriMo anyway?

Do Now:  (Answer in your Writer's Notebook)

                What does it mean to be creative?

 If you did not get to this yesterday:

1. Sign up for NaNoWriMo.  Visit their site and look for the sign up link on the upper right side. Write down your user name and password.
2. Give me your NaNoWriMo information. I will collect your user name to track your progress. You can give me your password too IF you think you might loose it or forget it.

 Your questions and some facts:

• You will learn about a new element of novel/fiction-writing during each class period.
• You may not officially start writing the novel until November 1, and must stop on November 30.
• You can set your own word-count goals.
• Quantity is better than quality until editing begins in December.

Now I have some questions for you:

??Inner Editor??

Homework:  Bring in your FAVORITE novel. (Not picture book.) This should be a book you read and loved. It could also be a novel that a parent or teacher read to you that you loved.

Catch Up Day

Good morning,


We will begin with presentations and then have a workshop day.

Workshop day priorities list.

1. Complete the writing you started in class yesterday. (I know many of you finished yesterday.)
2. Make final formatting adjustments to make sure your memoir is in MLA style.
3. Update your status on Goodreads. I am expecting you to read at least 2-3 books a month.
4. Sign up for NaNoWriMo.  Visit their site and look for the sign up link on the upper right side. Write down your user name and password.
5. Give me your NaNoWriMo information. I will collect your user name to track your progress. You can give me your password too IF you think you might loose it or forget it.
6. Read

Memoirs due tomorrow

Good morning,

After a few presentations today you will return to your writing groups.  Take your rubric with you.

Also today I will give you a very very small print out of your grade and assignments in our class. Please show this to your parent(s) and return it signed (by your parent) to me.

Your memoir should be finished before class tomorrow.  I expect it to be formatted correctly in MLA style, including a heading, appropriate title format, etc.  For guidance on style formatting please visit the Perdue Online Writing Lab page.

I will begin grading memoirs on Wednesday. You may continue to make minor revisions to your document until I grade it. (You can revise it after I grade it, but I may or may not be willing to re-grade it.) it will likely take me 5-7 days to grade all memoirs.

Writing Groups

Good morning,

Yesterday I told you about the protocol for writing groups. Please review the Writing Group Procedures.

Drag your memoir to your group folder.  I'll send you to your groups in a moment.
Put your name on the rubric I gave you. THINK about how your memoir might score, but DO NOT mark the rubric yet.

Homework: Work on the revision of your memoir based on the advice and comments of your writing group. Memoirs need to be finished on Tuesday 10/18/11!

Writing Mentor?

Good morning,

You have a bit more time to finish your draft today.
Are you interested in having an external writing mentor?
If you are fill out the Writing Mentor Request Form

Memoir Drafting

Good morning, Your draft of your memoir is due tomorrow. After our presentations you will have time to work on that.
Your draft must be shared with me in Google Docs. You can write on paper and then type it in or just write it in Google docs. Create a new document. Call it period# name Memoir, (ie. 3 Bob memoir or 4 Jane memoir)

Open House

Open House 2011 on Prezi

Process Prompt

Good morning,

Today I will give you the process prompt. We will have more presentations. Then you will have some productive time to work on one or more of the following:

1. Finish the memoir reading activity from this week
2. Meet with your presentation partner (if you chose option 2)
3. Complete work in your Writer's Notebook
4. Begin drafting your memoir
5. Update your Goodreads status
6. Read

You will have a draft of your memoir due next Tuesday, 10/11/11. Your draft must be shared with me in Google Docs. You can write on paper and then type it in or just write it in Google docs. Create a new document. Call it period# name Memoir,  (ie. 3 Bob memoir or 4 Jane memoir)

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sS2UM47T0cPwkE6Ko4m-x-FvmhIgxlL2MqHxrFez8K1_wBdTPVThMqT9UIADT8jpEUdakAOez34Ek1ix31c6pDReNy-3-sulnd5nN09eLJwgL45IkeuXkSnnkwSXLOqsGnzC8thPEJao/s1600/writing+process.jpg

Rolling

Good morning,

Today we will continue with presentations, then continue with your memoir reading groups and then, (insert drum roll here) I will give you the prompt for your memoir process piece.

Don't forget to remind your parents about Open House Thursday night. There is a meeting for freshmen parents in the Performing Arts Center (PAC-center quad) at 5:00, classroom visits from 6-8. Make sure your parents have your schedule with room numbers! Remind them to allow extra time to park and walk to campus.

Memoir Reading Activity

Do Now: Describe your process for preparing to make a presentation in class. What do you do to create your presentation? How do you practice? Use specific examples from a previous presentation you have done in school.

Good morning,
We are going to begin each day this week with two presentations. You will be included in the assessment of these presentations. Please be honest and fair in your assessment. You will score the presentations using this form: Oral Presentation Rubric. All appropriate comments will be shared with the presenter.

A little group work:

1. Your group will be assigned one of the memoirs linked below. Each number links to a memoir.
2. You will also find a new document shared with you in Google Docs called, Copy of Memoir Reading Activity. 
3. One member of your group should remove the "copy of" and add your period number and names. 
4. Assign roles within your group, see Memoir Reading Activity.
5. Then read the memoir assigned to your group and work together to complete the Memoir Reading Activity.

Memoir Links: 1,   2,   3,   4,   5,    6,    7,  Note: All of these memoirs are "view only" documents. You can't write on them or change them. You CAN and SHOULD make your own copy of the memoir for your annotation. (File... Make a copy...)

4th period we need to complete your forms for Open House, (Thursday night!)

Let's continue

Good morning,

Yesterday you and you partner read the first half of "Us and Them". Find your partner right away and continue reading.

When you finish you still need to complete the pyramid poem in your Writer's Notebook. You and your partner should choose different characters to create your poems about, but you can help each other. Then complete the 'Thinking Like a Writer" questions.
Also, create an It Says, I Say, And So chart for this memoir. Include at least two quotes that you feel relate to the theme.

Homework: Check your Writer's Notebook. There are links on the right to mine so you can see what you should have in yours. Complete any and all work you might be missing.

Us and Them

Do Now:
 Write a quick summary of the memoir you are reading on your own. Include your thoughts about the theme and any reactions you have to the events. (If you are not reading a memoir of your own yet please write about the steps you are taking to get one.)

This morning you are going to read a fourth memoir with your #4 partner. This text is called "Us and Them" by David Sedaris. This text has questions in it. Read silently until you get to the questions. Then discuss the questions with your partner and answer them on the Word document.

In your Writer's Notebook create an It Says, I Say, And So chart for this memoir. Include at least two quotes that you feel relate to the theme.

Collaborative Annotation

Do Now:
Write an entry in your Writer's Notebook about what you did yesterday without me. 

Today we are going to try something new with something not so new. Confused? We are going to try collaborative annotation with the text you read yesterday. The memoir will be familiar and the annotating collaboratively will be new.

You have a new "collection" (folder) shared with you in Google Docs. There is a doc in that folder. That document is shared with 3-5 of your classmates also. Together you are going to work through that memoir again to mark these things:   Adult Reflection (yellow), Child voice (green), also underline Flashbacks. The catch is you can not talk to each other. You can use the chat part of the doc, but I will be watching your conversation.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2289/2137737248_e9f3e429d1.jpg

Say Something!

Good morning,

I'm sorry I can't be with you today. I'm visiting other schools to learn more about how other teachers are using their educational technology tools. I'll be back tomorrow. Ms. Cullen will take good care of you.

Do Now: (In your Writer's Notebook in docs) Write about a moment when you felt you did not fit in, or a moment when you became aware of someone else not fitting in. Focus on the emotions of that moment.

Today you will read another memoir. This one is called "Aria". Please download it and save it in your English folder. (Download Aria Text Here)

Ms. Cullen will teach you about a strategy called Say Something.  You can review the protocol (rules) for that here. Protocol for Say Something.

After you have read "Aria" using Say Something please return to your Writer's Notebook and create an It Says, I Say, And So chart for "Aria".  (This is just like the one you did for homework on Friday about the memoir you are reading.)

Homework: Continue reading the memoir you have. Begin thinking about ideas for the memoir you will write. prepare for your presentation. I will have dates for your presentations to you tomorrow.

It Says, I Say, And So...

Do Now:  Please click on this form to tell me which presentation prompt you have chosen to present. (I will set presentation dates after everyone has chosen an option.)

Next: Copy this into your Writer's Notebook.

"Theme: Theme is a statement that expresses the universal meaning of a piece of text. Theme is always a sentence and not a word. The theme of a work reflects an author's beliefs about a topic."

Spend a moment to think about some possible themes from the excerpt from Fist Stick Knife Gun by Geoffrey Canada. Write those possible themes in your notebook.
 
Today we are going to learn a form of text analysis known as "It Says, I say, And so." I have a handout for you to use in class if you would like to do this on paper. If you prefer to have an electronic copy you can download it here. 

The goal of this activity is to determine a theme, select appropriate quotations from the text that support the theme, explain the quotation and then explain the significance of the quotation.

http://my-ecoach.com/online/resources/5535/Theme.jpg

Homework: Complete one "It Says, I Say, And So" in your Writer's Notebook about the memoir you are reading. See example in the sample notebook linked on the right.

 

The adult side...

Do Now:
Describe an incident in your past that you feel different about now than you did when it happened. 


Today we are going to look for adult reflection in the excerpt from Fist Stick Knife Gun by Geoffrey Canada that we read yesterday. We have looked at him as a child. It is time to see him as an adult.

http://www.littlerockpromise.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/canada1-172x172.jpg

Remember we are going to the library tomorrow. Bring your ID.
On Friday I will ask you which presentation prompt you chose. Be ready to answer that question.

Sibilings make great stories

Good morning,

Do Now: Add the date for today at the TOP of your Writer's Notebook and respond to this prompt. What responsibilities do you think siblings have to each other?

When you have finished your answer update your status on Goodreads and/or rate more books.


Next:
We read another memoir. This one is an excerpt from Fist Stick Knife Gun by Geoffrey Canada.  Yesterday I will gave you the memoir as a Word document. Please make sure you SAVED it in your My Documents/English folder after you opened it. After we read it you will be doing some annotations to the text, so you will need to keep a copy.

We will also be adding to our Writer's Notebooks so keep that open as well. 

We are going to the LIBRARY on THURSDAY. Make sure you BRING your ID!

Mature Reflections

Do Now:
Get your netbook. Open your Writers Notebook in Google Docs and under today's date (which you will need to add at the TOP) write about a time you felt wronged or threatened.

Then: 
When you finish your prompt check to see that you have joined Goodreads, and completed your student data form. (Lots of people still need to do these two simple things. Can you hear the exasperation in my voice? Lets get it together folks.)

After that:
I will share with you the presentation prompts for our first unit. Yes, you will be giving presentations. Yes, they will be graded.

Next:
We read another memoir. This one is an excerpt from Fist Stick Knife Gun by Geoffrey Canada.  Once again I will give you the memoir as a Word document. Please make sure you SAVE it in your My Documents folder after you open it. After we read it you will be doing some annotations to the text, so you will need to keep a copy.

http://www.beaconbroadside.com/.a/6a00e54ed2b7aa883301348762547d970c-320wi

Catch up day...

Do Now:
Get your netbook. Open your Writers Notebook in Google Docs and under today's date (which you added yesterday) make a list of the qualities of a memoir. (What things does a memoir have to have?)

Then:

1. Yesterday we read the excerpt from Black Boy by Richard Wright.  At the very end of the period I asked you to answer a questions about the story. Add to that answer.
2. Complete the student data form if you didn't do that yet.
3. Login to GoodReads and send me a friend request if you haven't done that either.

After that:

1. We have an activity related to the list of memoir qualities you just made.
2. You will meet again with the group you made your Probable Passage with to complete the "Now I know" section.
3. We will be picking some partners to work with on a regular basis. You will need your planner.

Excerpt from "Black Boy"

 First we are going to set up your Writer's Notebook. Please login to Google Docs as quickly as you can.

Then we are going to read an excerpt from a memoir called "Black Boy" by Richard Wright.
You will need to get out the Probable Passage sheet you began yesterday. You also need to open the document we will be reading. Click HERE to get the memoir we will read today. It will open on your computer as a Word file.

Reviewing Expectations

Good morning,
 Please get out your planner. Lets review some quick expectations. If there is anything here you have not completed please add it to your planner.

1. You need a Google account.
2. You need a book length memoir (or AUTObiography to read)
3. You need to complete the student data form (link on the right)
4. You need to complete your two voice poem and share it with me in Docs.
5. You need to complete your six word memoir and give it to me on paper.
6. You need to get on Goodreads, use your Google account to login, and send me a friend request. Once you are there add a rating to at least five books you have read and mark five books you want to read.
7. Read 30 minutes every day and update your progress in your book on Goodreads.
8. You need to make sure you have all your textbooks and they are undamaged.

Today we are going to prepare to read an excerpt from a memoir called "Black Boy" by Richard Wright.

Let's get it together people...

Good morning,

Lets get ambitious. We need to finish your two voice poems and your six word memoirs. We are going to try using Google Docs today for both. You did get a Google account right?

1. Get your netbook
2. Find your partner for the two voice poem
3. Login to Docs 
4. Create a document and share it with your partner (one creates and shares)
5. Name it like this... name&name2voice poem
6. Share it with me too
7. Type up your two voice poem (I'll show you in class how to use the left, right and center buttons.)
8. When you finish (or at the same time) create another doc and type your six word memoir
9. Ask me before you print anything
10. GO!

http://www.mgcpuzzles.com/mgcpuzzles/images/all_new_core_images/Corporate_Puzzles/teamwork_images/teamwork_teamwork_A.jpg

Diagnostic Writing Assessment

Good morning,

Today we need to take the writing assessment that we couldn't do on Friday (because school was cancelled due to the massive power failure).
 

Catching up...

Good morning,

Yesterday you got to turn on your computer and get your text books. Today we need to play a bit of catch up and then move forward. 

• First if you did not complete the student data form yesterday please do that now.
• If you haven't book marked this blog page do that also.
• I'll explain about reading expectation quickly and then we have a project to do.

Also a message from the librarian about textbooks:

1.   CHECK your books for damages! If a book you’ve checked out is damaged, bring it to the Library Textbook Window anytime on Monday 9/12 thru Friday 9/16 to be stamped, repaired or exchanged.
 
2.  BEWARE you will be charged for damages not noted. A damaged/missing barcode is $5.
 
3.  COVER your books to minimize damages and avoid fees at the end of the year.
 
4.  DO NOT share/borrow books. You are responsible for the books you check out.
 
5.  WRITE your name inside all of your books.

Thank you, Library Staff

Welcome to Fresh English

Welcome to a new school year, a new school, a fresh start and some very fresh English. We are going to have a great time learning together and we have so much to do.  This blog will be our daily start page and also the page that will link you to everything else you need for our class. I'm so glad you are here. Now lets get going.

A few reminders for Wednesday (that's tomorrow).

• Bring your id and a backpack-It's textbook check out day.
• Return your netbook use contract, signed.
• Review the syllabus. It's linked on the right too.
• Get a G-mail account, keep it professional