Week at a glance Sept 28 - Oct 1, 2010

Curriculum focus: determines word meanings through knowledge of word structure: Greek and Latin roots and prefixes and suffixes (11.1.3.k3), uses information from the text to make inferences and draw conclusions (11.1.4.K5), identifies persuasive techniques (11.1.4.K14a-f), distinguishes between fact and opinion and recognizes propaganda (11.1.4.K15a), analyzes how the author’s use of irony contributes to his/her purpose (11.1.4.K11c), identifies the protagonist (11.2.1.K1a), contextual aspects of setting: how history, society, and culture influence events in the text (11.2.1.K2), and analyzes how the problem or conflict advances the plot of a narrative (11.2.1.K3a).

Root Words Mid-term on Friday - We are doing 60 root words this semester; so far we have done half of them. Rather than waiting until near the end of the semester and doing a final over all 60, we will be doing a mid-term over the first 30 roots this Friday. Students will receive a study guide and practice self-test for the mid-term on Monday. We'll also do an in-class review on Thursday.

This week is a week of exams. In addition to the Root Words Mid-term mentioned above, students will also take their unit exam for Arthur Miller's The Crucible on Thursday. We'll do a review of characters, their motivations, and their fates as well as plot points on Monday. Wednesday we'll do a full Jeopardy-style review in class. Following their test on Thursday, students will prepare for their next exam on Friday.

• Mon: The Crucible - Finish reading/discussing Act IV. Act IV study guide due Tuesday. Pick up a Root Words Mid-term Study Guide/Self Test and complete it for Wednesday .
• Tues: The Crucible - Complete the character and plot guide - notes in class. Act IV study guide due by the end of the hour.
  
• Wed: Review for The Crucible Unit Exam. Begin reviewing for Root Words Mid-term.
  
• Thurs: The Crucible - Unit Exam. Root Words review.
  
• Fri: Root Words Mid-term. Pass back and discuss The Crucible Unit Exam.

Week at a glance Sept 20 - 24, 2010

Curriculum focus: determines word meanings through knowledge of word structure: Greek and Latin roots and prefixes and suffixes (11.1.3.k3), uses information from the text to make inferences and draw conclusions (11.1.4.K5), identifies persuasive techniques (11.1.4.K14a-f), distinguishes between fact and opinion and recognizes propaganda (11.1.4.K15a), analyzes how the author’s use of irony contributes to his/her purpose (11.1.4.K11c), identifies the protagonist (11.2.1.K1a), contextual aspects of setting: how history, society, and culture influence events in the text (11.2.1.K2), and analyzes how the problem or conflict advances the plot of a narrative (11.2.1.K3a).

Root words for this week (root - definition - examples):

1. -hood - condition of - adulthood, childhood, neighborhood
   
2. -ic - pertaining to - logic, music, electric, pandemic
   
3. -ify / -ize /-yze - act upon or make - purify, terrorize, paralyze
   
4. -ism - characteristic of - terrorism, pacifism, heroism, racism
   
5. -ive - tending to be - active, inquisitive, positive, negative
   
6. -ure - result of - literature, nature, scripture, torture
   

This we'll be closer to the end of our reading portion of Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Last week we saw that no one was safe from the rising vengeance of the witch trials. This week we see the trials build toward their tragic and agonizing conclusion. Students should pay special attention to character development and which characters change or don't change as a result of the play's events.

• Mon: New root words. The Crucible - Read and discuss Act III.
• Tues: The Crucible - Complete Act III study guide questions by the end of the hour.
  
• Wed: The Crucible - Review Act III. Acts II and III quiz.
  
• Thurs: Root Words quiz. The Crucible - Read and discuss Act IV.
  
• Fri: No School - Professional Learning Day
  

Week at a glance Sept 13 - 17, 2010

Curriculum focus: determines word meanings through knowledge of word structure: Greek and Latin roots and prefixes and suffixes (11.1.3.k3), uses information from the text to make inferences and draw conclusions (11.1.4.K5), identifies persuasive techniques (11.1.4.K14a-f), distinguishes between fact and opinion and recognizes propaganda (11.1.4.K15a), analyzes how the author’s use of irony contributes to his/her purpose (11.1.4.K11c), identifies the protagonist (11.2.1.K1a), contextual aspects of setting: how history, society, and culture influence events in the text (11.2.1.K2), and analyzes how the problem or conflict advances the plot of a narrative (11.2.1.K3a).

Root words for this week (root - definition - examples):

1. contra/counter - against or opposite - contradict, counteract
   
2. dif/dis/dys - away or badly - different, disperse, dysfunctional
   
3. mal - poorly - malice, malpractice, malfunction
   
4. poin/pugn/punc - pierce or sting - punch, impugn, point
   
5. pseudo - false - pseudonym, pseudoscience
   
6. sol/soli - one or alone - isolated, desolate, solitary
   

This we continue reading and discussing Arthur Miller's The Crucible. We completed Act I last week. Using a volcano as an analogy for the Salem community, we discussed how the various factions and personal grudges were building and creating pressure just waiting for a chance to explode. Salem erupted with the first of the witchcraft accusations. As we read Acts II and III this week, students will analyze the effects of the witch trials on Salem's community and compare/contrast how each character responds to the trials.

• Mon: The Crucible - New root words. Review Act I in class. Begin reading and discussing Act II.
  
• Tues: The Crucible - Act I quiz. Continue reading and discussing Act II.
  
• Wed: The Crucible - Finish reading and discussing Act II. Act II study guide responses due by the end of the hour.
  
• Thurs: The Crucible - Review Act II in class. Act II quiz.
  
• Fri: Root words quiz. The Crucible - Begin reading and discussing Act III.

Week at a glance Sept 6 - 10, 2010

Curriculum focus: determines word meanings through knowledge of word structure: Greek and Latin roots and prefixes and suffixes (11.1.3.k3), uses information from the text to make inferences and draw conclusions (11.1.4.K5), identifies persuasive techniques (11.1.4.K14a-f), distinguishes between fact and opinion and recognizes propaganda (11.1.4.K15a), analyzes how the author’s use of irony contributes to his/her purpose (11.1.4.K11c), identifies the protagonist (11.2.1.K1a), contextual aspects of setting: how history, society, and culture influence events in the text (11.2.1.K2), and analyzes how the problem or conflict advances the plot of a narrative (11.2.1.K3a).

Root words for this week (root - definition - examples):

1. ced / cede / ceed - go - proceed, concede, succeed
   
2. hyper - over or above - hyperactive, hyperventilate, hyperbole
   
3. inter / intra / intro - between, within, into - international, introduction
   
4. mega - great - megaphone, megaton, megalopolis
   
5. ortho - correct - orthodox, orthodontist, orthopedic
   
6. trans - across - transport, transition, transatlantic
   

This week we begin reading Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Students will receive a study guide in class on Tuesday that we'll complete in class as we read the play. Students will not receive a copy of the play for themselves because we'll be reading the play in class. It will be absolutely essential that students are listening and keeping up with their in-class assignments.

• Mon: Labor Day - no school
• Tues: The Crucible - begin reading Act I
  
• Wed: The Crucible - continue reading Act I. Complete in-class assignment, due by the end of the hour.
• Thurs: The Crucible - finish reading and discussing Act I. Continue work on questions from the Act I study guide.
• Fri: Root Words Quiz. The Crucible - wrap up Act I discussion and complete questions from the Act I study guide, due by the end of the hour.