//www.polyhigh.org/apps/classes/66796/assignments/ Class Name: HONORS WRITING SEMINAR A Instructor(s): Evan Rabins Location: ROOM 113 en-us SchoolSitePro //www.polyhigh.org/homeworkItem872705 //www.polyhigh.org/apps/classes/66796/assignments/
Today, which was NOT a shortened day, we finished taking the CAHSEE diagnostic test.

REMINDER: We are doing graded work the rest of the week!

I will return the essays Thursday.

I will post your final grades at some point on Friday.

]]> Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:23:04 PST //www.polyhigh.org/homeworkItem870056 //www.polyhigh.org/apps/classes/66796/assignments/
Today, after SSR, we spent most of the period taking a diagnostic test.  It's a preparation test for the CAHSEE, by taking it, we're seeing what areas you need to most work on before the real test.  As long as you take it and do your best, you'll get an A on the assignment.  If you don't try your best, (and it's easy to tell), then you'll get a zero.  If you were absent, you can make it up one day only, tomorrow.

I also handed out the Fahrenheit 451 writing prompt.  Here it is:

In a well-organized five-paragraph essay, explain, in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, which characters affect Montag's development and how?  How does Montag's interaction with these other characters affect his subsequent decisions?  Among the characters you can analyze are Clarisse, Mildred, Captain Beatty, the woman who immolates herself, Faber, and Granger.  Make sure you do a good job of explaining how these characters affect Montag.  Due Friday, January 9th.



]]> Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:32:18 PST //www.polyhigh.org/homeworkItem867416 //www.polyhigh.org/apps/classes/66796/assignments/
Today we went back to the computer lab, finished typing our essays, and then we REVISED them.  THE ESSAYS WERE DUE TODAY.

Anyone absent today who is planning to hand in their essay on Monday had better get their absence cleared, or I'm not taking it.

For those who didn't get it in on time, I'm deducting a point for every day it's late.

NOTE: WE ARE DOING GRADED WORK ALL OF NEXT WEEK!  If you skip school, your grade is going to go down.

]]> Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:30:28 PST //www.polyhigh.org/homeworkItem863233 //www.polyhigh.org/apps/classes/66796/assignments/
There was a sub today, but it was business as usual.

After SSR, we had our comma quiz and corrected it.  If you were absent, you'll have to make it up at Homework Haven on Thursday, IF you cleared your absence.

Then I gave the rest of the period to work on your papers. 

REMEMBER: We are going to the computer lab TOMORROW to type the essays.  Your HOMEWORK is to finish your first draft, tonight.

]]> Wed, 10 Dec 2008 10:12:06 PST //www.polyhigh.org/homeworkItem860732 //www.polyhigh.org/apps/classes/66796/assignments/
Then I gave the rest of the period to work on your essays.  Remember that we're going to the computer lab to type on Thursday, so you need to get this essay done BEFORE THEN.  I'm not letting you type your essay at the computer.

NOTE: I will not be here tomorrow, I'm going on a field trip.  Behave for the sub or you will be severely punished.  We're still having SSR and the comma quiz, and you'll have the rest of the period to work on your essay.  (Notice that I put a comma between the two independent clauses separated by a coordinating conjunction in that sentence.)  I'll be back on Thursday.  Behave.

]]> Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:25:13 PST //www.polyhigh.org/homeworkItem858055 //www.polyhigh.org/apps/classes/66796/assignments/
Today, after SSR, we had more comma practice.  REMMEMBER: THERE IS A QUIZ THIS WEDNESDAY!

Then I returned the essays from the periodic assessment, and we discussed what went wrong, (ignoring the part of the prompt that said, "Address misunderstandings and biases" was the big problem).

Then I gave the rest of the period to work on your essays, which are DUE FRIDAY.  We are going to the computer lab to type them on Thursday and Friday, so you should have it written by Thursday.

]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:06:03 PST //www.polyhigh.org/homeworkItem854935 //www.polyhigh.org/apps/classes/66796/assignments/
Today, after SSR, we had another comma practice.  Remember, there will be a quiz on commas next Wednesday.

Then we made tree maps in our notebooks for the term paper.  Here is the
WRITING PROMPT:

In a well-organized five-paragraph essay, compare your own literacy narrative with two of the three authors we've read: Sherman Alexie, Sandra Cisneros and Malcolm X.  The focus of this paper should be your literacy experience.  How has it been similar to the two authors?  How is it different?  Include sensory details.

I passed out a worksheet with instructions for the essay, and an outline to fill out for your thesis and the three topic sentences from your body paragraphs.  You should have that all done by Monday, I'll be checking.

Thursday and Friday of next week, we're going to the computer lab to type the essays.  You have to write it between now and then.  The essay is due next Friday, December 12th.  SO GET TO WORK.

Have a nice weekend.

]]> Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:43:20 PST //www.polyhigh.org/homeworkItem853717 //www.polyhigh.org/apps/classes/66796/assignments/
Today we started by correcting and handing in the second conjunction worksheet.  If you were absent, you need to turn it in the moment you get back.

Next, I returned the Alexie/Malcolm X essays, and we went over the proper way to do commentary using SAY/MEAN/MATTER.  When you write an essay, you MUST have AT LEAST two quotes per body paragraph, and two pieces of commentary per quote!

Next I passed out a worksheet for comma practice.  We did it and went over it.  THERE WILL BE A COMMA QUIZ NEXT WEDNESDAY.

Finally, we worked on double-bubble maps for the final essay project, THE ESSAY IS DUE NEXT FRIDAY, AND IT IS THE BIGGEST GRADE IN THE CLASS.  You will be comparing your own literacy narrative to two of the three authors we've read, (your choice which two).

HOMEWORK: In your notebook, complete two double-bubble maps, comparing yourself to two of the three authors we've read.  Due first thing tomorrow.

]]> Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:20:51 PST //www.polyhigh.org/homeworkItem846938 //www.polyhigh.org/apps/classes/66796/assignments/
Today we took notes on the proper placement of commas.  This is absolutely something you need to incorporate into your writing.  We will be practicing comma usage in class, and eventually we will have a quiz, probably next week sometime.

Then we went over the conjunction workshets I gave out last Wednesday, (yesterday to those of you who were absent last week).  We corrected them, then I gave out a similar worksheet for homework.  The first one was practice, this one counts.

]]> Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:44:19 PST //www.polyhigh.org/homeworkItem844408 //www.polyhigh.org/apps/classes/66796/assignments/
Today we took a periodic assessment all period.  It's a two-day assessment, we'll finish it Wednesday.  If you were absent, you'll have to make up both days when you get back.

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