English

This Girl Has Talent!!

2012-01-25T15:17:00.001-07:00

Online Dictionary

2011-12-02T10:19:00.001-07:00

Here are some links to good online dictionaries:

Oxford English Dictionary
http://www.oed.com.adam2.byui.edu/
Net-ID: ohs2002
Password: utahjazz47

Merriam-Webster Dictionary
http://www.merriam-webster.com/

Prezi presentation links

2011-11-18T14:56:00.001-07:00

Here are links to the Prezi presentations we looked at in class about paraphrasing, summarizing, and using quotes.

http://prezi.com/teohhhhadcwe/summarize-paraphrase-or-quote/
http://prezi.com/ocvzxyt-zh7g/copy-of-paraphrasing-101/

Here are some Christmas Carol Prezi presentation links we used during Pride Time to gain some background information on the novel.
http://prezi.com/7bwxatjmaolv/copy-of-a-christmas-carol/
http://prezi.com/7f8fpovnsm8a/copy-of-charles-dickens-a-christmas-carol-an-intro/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/multimedia/dickens/

Links to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

2011-09-29T08:56:00.000-06:00

Here are a couple links to the text of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde:

http://www.bibliomania.com/0/0/46/86/frameset.html

http://etext.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/SteJekl.html

http://www.learnlibrary.com/jekyll-hyde/

You can also download the free audiobook from itunes.

Homework and Preparing for Test

2011-09-07T07:40:00.000-06:00

LIFEadvice:A synonym is a word you use in place of the one you can't spell

ByKimberly Sayer-Giles, ksl.com contributor September 6th, 2011 @8:29pm

SALT LAKE CITY -- Life is a complicated and messy endeavor. Life CoachKim Giles is here to help you with simple, principle-based solutions to thechallenges you face. Coach Kim will empower you to get along with others andbecome the best you.

Question:

My high school student really struggles with homework. I know it’simportant to learn study skills now so she will be prepared for college. Whatadvice could you give her on homework and preparing for tests?

Answer:
They really ought to have a class on "How to Study" in every school.Here are some creative tricks for homework and memorization that every studentshould know.

1) Always tackle your toughest assignments first. Do them whileyour mind is freshest, and you'll get through it faster. Save the fun ones forlast.

2) Separate homework into “What I can do on my own” and “What I needhelp with.” Do everything you can on your own first and then get help onthe rest. This creates independence, responsibility and confidence.

3) Prepare for tests long before they happen.Use one of the followingtechniques and you will never have to study for a test again. You will haveread the information so many times during the term, you will already know it.

Create flash cards: As you read eachchapter, create a flash card for each concept or fact you come to. Review allyour flash cards, for each class, every night.
Create your own tests: After you read eachchapter, sit back and think of some test questions you might ask if you werethe teacher. You will often choose the same questions your teacher will. Writedown those test questions and the answers. Review all these practice testsevery night.
Review your notes: This one got methrough college: Every night, read through all your notes from every class. Itshouldn’t take long to do a quick read over. After a few weeks, you will haveall the info memorized.

4) Follow a few simple guidelines when taking a test. Read eachquestion and all the directions very carefully before you put pencil to paper.Skip over questions you don’t know the answer to and come back to those at theend, if you have time. Take a deep breath and relax. Being tense and scaredmakes your brain stop working. It’s just a test, you’re going to do fine.

5) Develop tricks for memorizing information. Try the following:

Use your imagination: When you have a factto remember (especially a name or date), create a picture in your mind usingthe name or numbers. To remember Bill Gates, you might imagine a guy standingin front of a gate holding a telephone bill. You get the idea.
Create fun acronyms or sentences using each letter of aword: When I was a child I learned to spell “arithmetic” bymemorizing the following sentence, “A red Indian thought he might eat tobaccoin church.” It was easy to remember, and the first letter of each word spells"arithmetic." You can also create acronyms to remember lists ofinformation. To remember grapes, oranges, lemons and apples, you just remember"gola."
Anthropomorphize the concept: It’s not ascomplicated as it sounds. Anthropomorphizing is just giving an inanimate objecthuman characteristics. Make each fact or concept into a funny person withstrange name. It makes them stick in your brain.
Imagine a room to remember facts: Imagine a room youare familiar with and see all the things you know are in the room. Now linkeach fact to something in that room. Pillows go with pancreas, etc. During thetest you just call up the memory of the room, and you will automaticallyremember what you linked with each object.
Write it: Writing the facts or words over andover cements them into your memory. This works best if you write theinformation in the same order every time. Then the picture of that list willpop up in your mind.
Record it: Record your voice repeating the facts andlisten to the MP3 file over and over. You can study while exercising or doingother things.

6) Use special techniques for math. Here are some suggestions:

Don’t procrastinate: Get your mathhomework done while the concept is freshest in your mind. Try to get it done inclass while the teacher is right there, or as soon as possible when you gethome.
Ask questions in class if you don’t understand: Don’t be shy aboutasking for help. I guarantee you’re not the only one who is lost.
Do complicated problems over again: If you arestruggling with a concept, photocopy a page from the textbook and re-solve theproblems every day. Solving the same problems over and over cements the conceptin your mind.
Work out pictures or diagrams or make up stories to goalong with concepts: You can remember the steps for long division byrehearsing the family order, “Dad, Mom, Sister, Brother, Rover.” It helps youremember, “Divide, Multiply, Subtract, Bring down and Remainder.”
Break it up: If a complex formula has you stumped,break it down. Every formula is made of “little parts” you learned in the past.Then create a system or phrase that ties the little parts together.

Pass this article along to your student and see if some fresh studyideas make a difference this year.

Last but not least: Don't let your mind wander. It's too small tobe out by itself.

Kimberly Giles is the founder and president of www.claritypointcoaching.com.She is a sought after life coach who has a popular radio showwww.lifeadviceradio.com on Utah's AM 1430 Saturday Mornings at 8am MST

Source: www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=1010&sid=17073230

2011-2012 All About Me

2011-08-23T08:46:00.000-06:00

This is your first homework assignment. You will be answering these questions by making a comment. In order to get credit for the assignment, you will need to put your name and class period in your answer. You must answer them in complete sentences.

1. What are some of your hobbies?

2. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

3. What is your favorite pizza topping?

4. If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Sample Answer (Your comment should look like this):

Logan J. B5

1. I like playing with board games and video games.

2.I would go to Hawaii because i like pineapple.

3. I like pineapple as my favorite pizza topping.

4. Invisibility and walking through walls. That would rock.

Reading and Writing

2011-08-01T14:47:00.000-06:00

Educators finding strong association between reading and writing

August 1st, 2011 @ 11:35am

By Mary Richards

SALT LAKE CITY -- Educators are now finding a strong association between reading and writing. Granite District literacy coach Tricia Bromka says those students who are struggling with reading, you see it in their handwriting right away.

"They don't develop their letters correctly, there's a processing issue going on. They can't transfer what's going on in their brain onto the paper," said Bromka. "There's a huge gap there for those students who are so concentrating on what they are writing, that they can't go into those higher-order thinking skills and their fluency is jeopardized."

Bromka says they were finding students coming to college who didn't know how to write. So the new Common Core Standards have a new emphasis on publishing and writing. She says developers worked backwards from that college level into what was needed all the way to kindergarten.

Bromka says a child can't even begin to think about plot or character or arguments, if they are still struggling over each letter or word. She says a study done on fluency rate and handwriting showed students who got explicit handwriting instruction saw their fluency rates increase more than those who did not.

Source: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=16618803

2010-2011 CRT Scores

2011-05-16T13:42:00.000-06:00

CRT scores are in. Congratulations!

Here is some data:

8th grade: Average percent--77% (According to the cut scores last year, this is a 4!!)

Highest-98%

9th grade: Average percent--82% (According to the cut scores last year, this is a 3, almost a 4. The cut off for a 4 last year was an 83%.)

Highest-100%

This is really impressive! Good job!!

The Importance of Reading with Children

2011-05-16T07:37:00.002-06:00

May 15th, 2011 @ 4:55pm

By Cecily Markland, ksl.com Contributor

SALT LAKE CITY -- Long before studies and statistics proved it so U.S. poet, Strickland Gillilan noted the importance of reading aloud to children when he said:

"You may have tangible wealth untold

Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.

Richer than I you can never be.

I had a Mother who read to me."

86 percent of all juvenile offenders have reading problems, and 60 percent of prison inmates are illiterate. -firstlady.utah.gov

Today, the “riches” of having parents and other adults read aloud to children have been quantified and recognized as among the most important activities for children from birth.

Based on the research by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the website Homework Help Secrets indicates, “Reading is the single most important skill necessary for a happy, productive and successful life. A child that is an excellent reader is a confident child, has a high level of self esteem and is able to easily make the transition from learning to read to reading to learn.”

Yet, an estimated 10 million children struggle with this “single most important skill” and of those 10 million with reading difficulties, 10 to 15 percent eventually drop out of high school, the NICHD reports.

Even more telling, perhaps, is reading difficulties can be found in at least half of the adolescents and young adults with criminal records and at least half who have a history of substance abuse.

“From reviewing … the potential consequences of poor reading, it is clear that learning to read well is an essential life skill that each parent must ensure that their child acquires,” the NICHD states.

Schools, government agencies, community organizations and private groups and companies have implemented various programs to encourage reading. Yet, studies continue to prove that these outside programs are best as a supplement to early reading aloud to children by parents and other family members.

BYU Book Festival

Join Read Today at the BYU Book Festival June 4th, 2011 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. at Brigham Square on the Provo campus.

“Research shows that families play an important role in children’s reading success,” states the “Guide to Reading Aloud to Your Children,” created by Reading is Fundamental, the nation’s largest children’s literacy nonprofit program. The guide explains that by reading aloud with your children, “you are helping them become better readers, better listeners and better students. You are also helping them build vocabulary and language skills and helping them gain knowledge about the world around them.”

Among the benefits of reading aloud to children, a report developed by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, titled “America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2000,” includes: “Reading to young children promotes language acquisition and correlates with literacy development and, later on, with achievement in reading comprehension and overall success in school.”

According to the Literacy Connections website, “U.S. Department of Education analysis found that children who were read to at least three times a week by a family member were almost twice as likely to score in the top 25 percent in reading than children who were read to less than three times a week. Just like physical exercise, there are cumulative benefits when you do something regularly.”

The journal, “New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development” published the results of a five-year longitudinal study that examined the relations among home literacy experience, language and literacy development, stating: “Findings indicate that those with highest exposure to reading aloud at home demonstrated advantages in spelling, decoding and alphabet knowledge through Grade 3.”

Books also can encourage children to “follow their dreams and achieve their potential,” according to the RIF website. “Yes, it seems incredible for a book to launch a life, but it happens every day as hungry, inquisitive young minds reach out and grab hold of the new people, places and ideas that books bring them.”

In turn, experts say, reading to children has benefits for the parent as well.

“It’s something you and your children can do together. Reading aloud can be a special time for you and your children to bond. … You’ll get to know each other better as you talk about what you read," the guide states.

Experts encourage parents to continue this activity long beyond preschool.

The Children’s Reading Foundation says, “Once a child begins to read, it is essential to continue reading aloud together,” as reading together offers a springboard for conversation, a way to help children understand and deal with difficult situations and a method for assisting young people to grasp and explore concepts outside their own realm of experience.

Still, with the mounting research that shows the value of reading aloud to children, many don’t have this experience. Instead, The Reading Tub states, “The average kindergarten student has seen more than 5,000 hours of television, having spent more time in front of the TV than it takes to earn a bachelor's degree."

The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study of children born in 2001 conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, found that as infants, toddlers and preschoolers, only between one-third and one-half of the children were read to daily by a family member.

Among the popular programs to encourage reading aloud to children is Pizza Hut’s “Give Me 20 Reading Challenge.” Parents and teachers of over 80,000 preschool children took the challenge to read 20 minutes a day, five days a week in the Reading Challenge held between March 7 and April 29 of this year.

"The average kindergarten student has seen more than 5,000 hours of television, having spent more time in front of the TV than it takes to earn a bachelor's degree." -Reading Tube

Book Adventure, a reading motivation program for children in grades K-8, was created by Sylvan Learning and offers points and prizes as well as quizzes to assess children’s comprehension of the books they read.

Scholastic Books offers summer reading challenges to students and parents. On the Scholastic site parents can find reading tips and activities, sign up to get email updates on their children’s success and download summer book lists.

Local libraries provide summer story time and other activities that encourage reading.

Even a public television series is dedicated to helping foster better reading. Reading Rockets: Launching Young Readers is a nine-part series on reading, “created for parents, grandparents, teachers, caregivers and anyone else who touches children’s lives.”

Some of the tips from the PBS program “Between the Lions” include:

Read to your child every day. If you can't, ask someone else to be your child's designated reader.
Try to find a regular time and a quiet, comfortable place for reading together.
Turn off other distractions, such as the radio or television.
Encourage your children to ask questions about the characters, pictures and words.
Talk about the story with your child. Did he or she like it? Why?
Older children enjoy reading aloud, too. They can read their favorite parts or you can take turns reading chapter books.

Bottom line, says Literacy Connections, to give your children the “riches” of reading aloud, “Just do it.”

“With so many ideas on ways to build reading aloud into your routine, there is surely one to fit your lifestyle and busy schedule," the sites says. "There is no greater reward than reading with your children…Read every day with your children – you’ll be glad you did.”

Cecily Markland is a freelance writer, book editor, publicist and author of "Hope: One Mile Ahead" and the children’s book, "If I Made a Bug." She owns Inglestone Publishing and produces a calendar of LDS events in AZ (www.cecilymarkland.com).

Word Games and Puzzles

2010-05-07T09:42:00.000-06:00

Here is a link to the word games and puzzles we were doing in class:

http://puzzles.usatoday.com/

It will automatically take you to the crossword puzzle. Just click on the game that you want to play. We did the "Don't Quote Me" game.

IQ test link

2010-04-26T11:59:00.001-06:00

http://www.iqtest.dk/main.swf

After discussion Flowers for Algernon, many of you wanted to take an IQ test. Here is a link to one. It is free.

For more of the mazes we did: http://www.mazes.org.uk/

4th Term/End of Year Announcements

2010-03-13T13:45:00.001-07:00

March 19 is the last day of 3rd term. I can't believe how fast this year went. It seems like 2nd term just started. The end of the year is fast approaching. Your students have done a wonderful job this year, and have learned a lot. Here are a few important dates and announcements to be aware of.

1. CRT season is fast approaching. The window is from April 20- May 14. We will be taking the English CRT April 20-23. Please make sure your son/daughter gets a good breakfast and a good nights sleep. Also I would like them to bring a book to read when they are finished so they don't disturb others working on the test.

2. Due to the CRT's we only have 5 advisory periods left in the year: March 16, 23, 30, April 13, and May18. We will still be having the late bus on Tuesday to take the students home. I will do my best to offer time during class to make up the walk aways, but if I can't get time the students will need to come in before school (7:45-8:10) or after school (2:45-3:15) to make up the walk aways. I am a track coach and I will not be available March 24, 31, April 14, 20, 27 and 28 due to track meets.

3. Also, any I's not made up by May 27 @ 3:30 will be turning to an F.

4th Term Walk Aways

Special Day Essay: March 24 (B) / 25 (A)

Prefix and Suffix: April 1 (B) / 2 (A)

Figurative Language: April 14 (B) / 15 (A)

Commonly Confused Words: April 28 (B) / 29 (A)

DWA--Direct Writing Assessment

2010-01-26T15:22:00.000-07:00

In years past, students take the DWA in the 9th grade. Do to legislation last year, it is now moved to 8th grade. The DWA is a state writing test to measure their proficiency in writing.

This year, it is a persuasive writing test. In order to prepare for this, please go over persuasive writing techniques with your son/daughter. Here is a link to where you can download a handout about creating thesis statements and ways to add elaboration, or proof, to their writing. Click on the "Persuasive Writing Notes" link under Attachments. It is at the bottom of the list.

.:Dates:.
A-Day: February 18
B-Day: February 17

3rd Term Walk Aways

2010-01-16T12:55:00.001-07:00

Wow! I can't believe it is already 3rd term. This school year has gone by so fast. I guess time flies when your having fun.

Here are the dates for our walk aways this term.

Suffix: (They need to know the prefixes from last semester, plus the 5 suffixes we learned this term.)
A-Day: Jan. 27
B-Day: Jan. 26

Informational Text:

A-Day: Feb. 4
B-Day: Feb. 3

Extra Credit Opportunity

2010-01-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

One of the main themes in A Wrinkle in Time is freedom and equality. Type a letter to the editor about:

What is positive and strong about our government?
What needs improvement?
Explain what you think are the greatest threats to freedom and equality.

What to do--

Log on to My Access and type the letter.
Type the Letter
Needs to be 250 words.
You must score a 4 Holistically in order to receive the extra credit.
You will have 4 submissions

This will raise your grade a step in the grade scale (from a B- to a B, etc.)

Enjoy Christmas Break!!

2009-12-23T17:36:00.000-07:00

See you next year!

Walk Away Dates for Term 2

2009-10-26T15:40:00.002-06:00

Grammar Walk Away

A-Day: November 6

B-Day: November 5

Prefix #2 Walk Away

A-Day: November 18

B-Day: November 17

Inquiry Walk Away

A-Day: November 24

B-Day: November 23

WALK AWAY DATE CHANGE!!!

2009-09-30T14:56:00.000-06:00

To make you aware, the date for literary elements walk away is changing. I realized today that the students will not be ready for the walk away that is scheduled for next week.

Therefore, I am not going to be reading Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as I had planned. We will be spending the time discussing the literary element of flashback, forshadowing, setting, characterization, and theme in greater depth to prepare them for the walk away.

NEW DATE
A-Day: Oct. 21
B-Day: Oct. 20

A Wrinkle in Time

2009-09-27T21:12:00.000-06:00

Last week we were talking about how to hook your reader in their writing by reading the first paragraph of some novels. One of them was A Wrinkle in Time. The students got so excited about the novel that they wanted me to read it to them. I thought, "Instead of me reading this to you, why don't we read this as a class?"

However, I only have my personal copy of the book, and I have 40 students in each class. In order to read and study this book, I need one copy for each student in the class. There are many themes in this novel my students can relate with. Many of the students can relate with Meg in that she doesn't feel like she fits in at school.

If you would like to help out and donate to the purchase of a class set of novel go to:
http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=321479&ts=1254107122045

Any little bit helps. Thanks for all you do! Your children are so much fun. I love teaching them. They are all so smart and eager to learn.

A Picture is Worth a 1,000 words

2009-09-15T09:40:00.000-06:00

Here is the picture in color so you can enlarge it. Remember....you need to write

500 words

Assessment Dates Term 1 09-10

2009-08-31T08:15:00.001-06:00

Literary Elements Walk Away
      A-Day: Oct. 9
      B-Day: Oct 8

Prefix #1 Walk Away
      A-Day: Sept. 16
      B-Day: Sept. 15

**The state has also moved the Direct Writing Assessment (DWA) to the 8th grade. This will be administered during 3rd term.

All About Me

2009-08-21T09:04:00.000-06:00

Your homework assignment is to answer these four questions in a comment. Answer them in complete sentences.

A. What are some of your hobbies?

B. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

C. What is your favorite pizza topping?

D. If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Here are my answers:

A. Some of my hobbies are reading, baking, and blog design.

B. If I could travel anywhere in the world, I would love to go to England and Italy.

C. My favorite pizza topping is sausage. I love Pizza Hut pan sausage pizzas.

D. If I could have any super power I would want to snap my fingers and have things done for me.

Welcome Back

2009-08-14T21:24:00.003-06:00

Welcome back to school! This is an exciting time of year. As I was browsing the internet for interesting 1st day tidbits, here are some articles I thought might be useful.

Going Back to School
http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/school/back_to_school.html

Back to School: USA.gov
http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Back_to_School.shtml

Back to School Resource Center
http://pediatrics.about.com/od/backtoschool/Back_To_School_Resource_Center.htm

Back to School Articles: Ideas and Suggestions for Parents and Teachers
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/back-to-school/articles/

Top 10 Picks for Back to School Recipies
http://busycooks.about.com/od/fallrecipesandmenus/tp/backtoschool.htm

End of the Year Announcements

2009-04-08T10:34:00.010-06:00

The end of the year is fast approaching. Your students have done a wonderful job this year, and have learned a lot. Here are a few important dates and announcements to be aware of.

1. CRT season is upon us. The window is from April 21- May 15. We will be taking the English CRT April 21-24. Please make sure your son/daughter gets a good breakfast and a good nights sleep. Also I would like them to bring a book to read when they are finished so they don't disturb others working on the test. A reminder from the Disclosure Document: The CRT will be part of 4th terms grade. It is a 600 point assignment. If they score a 4 they will get 100%. If they score a 3 they will get 80%. If they score a 1 or 2 they will get 50%.

2. Due to the CRT's we only have one advisory period left in the year: May 19. We will still be having the late bus on Tuesday to take the students home. I will do my best to offer time during class to make up the walk aways, but if I can't get time the students will need to come in before school (7:45-8:10) or after school (2:45-3:30) to make up the walk aways. I am available during these hours Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

3. Also, any I's not made up by May 27 @ 3:30 will be turning to an F.

PLEASE encourage them to get their I's made up.

Walk Away Dates--Term 4

2009-03-25T15:30:00.002-06:00

Commonly Confused Words:
A-Day: March 31
B-Day: April 1

Prefix/Suffix:
(This is cummulative--you need to know the prefixes and suffixes from past terms)
A-Day: April 8
B-Day: April 9

Figurative Language:
A-Day: April 29
B-Day: April 30

CRT
A-Day: April 21 and 23
B-Day: April 22 and 24

Walk Away Dates--Term 3

2009-01-20T15:23:00.000-07:00

Superpower Essay Walk Away:
We will have 1 1/2 periods in the lab
A-Day: Jan. 23 (full) and Jan. 27 (half)
B-Day: Jan. 26 (full) and Jan. 28 (half)

Suffix Walk Away:
You need to know all 5 suffixes and all 10 prefixes. I will randomly pick 5 prefixes to put on the walk away
A-Day: Feb. 5
B-Day: Feb. 6

Informational Text Walk Away
A-Day: March 11
B-Day: March 12