Today (and tomorrow if you're B-day) we focused on parsing out why an author writes what they do, otherwise known as author's purpose. For your homework, you are to find an article that interests you from a newspaper, a magazine, or an online news source and bring it to class, along with an extended response (7-10 sentences) that explains what the author's purpose of the text is. You are to explain your thoughts using details from the text. This is due next class!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Hey everyone! Sorry for the long absence from the blog...

Here is where everyone should be as of Friday (A)/Tuesday (B):

1A, 3A - You should have read "A Day's Wait," answered the questions at the end of the story, completed the quickwrite, completed the worksheet that accompanied the story, and added on to that worksheet with the style chart. Please also complete the extended response question as follows:

Why does Schatz wait so long to share his fear of dying with his father? Using details and information from the story, explain what this choice reveals about Schatz’s personality. Use specific details from the text to support your answer.

4B, 5B - You should be to the same point as 1A and 3A once you have me for class on Tuesday. You will receive the extended response prompt then, so don't worry about it over the weekend.

6B - You should have finished "Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed," turned in your notes while reading, and completed the purple mood worksheet. If you did not already turn those in, please bring them to class on Tuesday. We will go over them to make sure we are all on the same page and move on with the next item on the schedule.

For the most part, the subs reported pretty good behavior from everyone, so I'm very grateful for that. There are a few students that I know were spoken to or sent out of the class, so I will be speaking with those students individually.

*A note to the parents* If there are any parents that would be willing to donate boxes of tissues, it would be greatly appreciated as we all get through the winter weather and enter allergy season!

Some Important Announcements...

As we begin a new quarter, I would like to start off on a fresh page with a couple of announcements:

**First, from now on assignments are to be completed using only blue or black ink pens. No pencils or other colored pens will be allowed. Please keep a pencil handy in case we have a scantron test, but only use a pencil in such a case. Pens are much easier to read and are more professional, so everyone needs to get used to writing with them. If you are uncomfortable having neatly drawn scratches on your paper when you make a mistake, I suggest using eraseable pens or white out.

**Second, you will now be limited to 5 hall passes per nine weeks for my class. Any unused hall passes will count as extra credit at the end of the semester, so use them wisely. Hall passes I will be counting will be for things such as going to the bathroom, getting water, or going to your lockers, not times when you are called to the main office, for example.

**Third, everyone needs to remain proactive when completing assignments to avoid scrambling to make the grade at the end of the quarter. If an assignment is given, just do it!

Here are the questions from "What Do Fish Have to Do With Anything?":

1. What kind of man might Willie’s father be? How do you know?
2. How do the lives of Mrs. Markham and Willie change after Mr. Markham leaves?
3. What do you think Willie, his mom, and the homeless man need more of in order to be happy?
4. Compare and contrast how Mrs. Markham and the homeless man react to Willie’s questions.
5. Is it likely Mrs. Markham will change? Explain why or why not.

For those classes that have not yet finished the story, these questions will be given to you when we do. Make sure you bring your inference charts to class next time.

If you have not turned in your persuasive essay packets, I need them ASAP. I can't stress enough how much better partial credit is than a zero.

If you are choosing to revise your District Writings #3, they are due to me in the class following the one in which I gave them back to you. If you are satisfied with your grade, make sure you bring the essays back so that we can put them in your portfolios.

Don't forget to look at the January 2nd post for information on how to access the online version of the textbook. This way, you won't necessarily have to bring your book home.

On Monday and Tuesday, we will work on the inference charts (except 6B, who will begin them, due to the spelling bee delay). Don't forget to bring them. Also, if you still have not turned in your persuasive essays, I expect them first thing next week. Points will be taken off, yes, but fewer points is much better than a big, fat ZERO!

Have a wonderful weekend! Let's hope we get some snow flurries!!!

Congratulations!!!

Congratulations go out to Justice Cordova, winner of the school-wide spelling bee!

Happy New Year!!!

Time is ticking until we return. Your persuasive essays - no exceptions - will be completely due Tuesday, January 5th (A) or Wednesday, January 6th (B). This includes everything we have done with the essays (the steps, the model, the persuasion map, the rough draft, peer editing, final copy).

I'm excited for the new year with the amazing Team 7A and can't wait to see all of the improvements yet to come. Make a resolution to be proactive and become a wonderful student, if not already!

By the way, here is the much anticipated online activation code for our textbook. This way, you won't necessarily have to bring your textbook home . . .

ACTIVATION CODE: 3767769-30
Product Name: McDougal Littell Literature Grade 7 - eEdition - FL

1. Go to http://www.classzone.comClick Language Arts, Middle School, Florida, and GO
2. Choose your book cover for given grade level.
3. All of the resources above the red line are open and do not require a Username or Password. All students may access. To sign up for an account, click Online Book.
4. Choose New Visitors, then Create Student Account.
5. Type in the Activation Code from the top of this page for your given grade level text.
6. Students are to type in their birthday. The birth date is never used again - it just verifies the ages of the students registering for an online account.
7. Fill in all the information, check the agreement box, and click Create Account.