Little Women

On this day in 1868, the first volume of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott was published. This weekend's homework: Religion: Keep working on the take home test. Even though it's not due until Wednesday, work on it now--don't wait until the last minute. Reading: Keep reviewing the All Saints Creed. You will have to write the entire creed out from memory next Friday. English: Persuasive Paper Choose a topic for your persuasive paper. Write a few sentences explaining why you chose that topic. State your topic in a complete sentence, and explain why it is a claim of fact, value or policy.

Remembering the Black Sox

This is a dark day in baseball history. On September 28, 1920, eight Chicago White Sox players were indicted for trying to intentionally lose World Series games. All eight players were banned from baseball forever, including the great Shoeless Joe Jackson. For an account of this event, read the book Eight Men Out by Eliot Asinof, or see the movie of the same name directed by John Sayles. Tonight's Homework: Religion: Begin working on your Dear Abby letter. This is worth 100 points and is due Wednesday, October 4. Don't put if off until the last minute! Reading: Finish the checklist for "The Fight with a Cannon." I will collect your letter to Victor Hugo tomorrow, Friday, September 29. Be ready for the quote quiz tomorrow. You will have to write out between 7 and 10 quotes. English: Start thinking about your topic for the persuasive paper.

Still Fighting with the Cannon

Today's Homework: Reading: Finish marking up "The Fight with a Cannon," then look up any words you don't know and write out their definitions. Finally, write out all of your questions about the story and sort them into questions of fact, value, and interpretation.

The Fight with a Cannon

Reading: I hope you're enjoying Victor Hugo's "The Fight with a Cannon." Be sure to write a one sentence summary of the story, and to make a general and specific outline by tomorrow. English: Are you being safe on the Internet? If you're still not convinced of the possible dangers of Internet use, see the following links: Netsmartz Real-Life Stories (videos): Amy's Choice Julie's Journey Tracking Teresa Netsmarts News Articles about online safety

Off to Seattle

My family and I are off to Seattle tomorrow to attend an auction to support finding a cure for mitochondrial disease. We have been invited to the auction to tell Teresa's story, so please pray for the success of the auction, and that we have a safe drive. You all will be in my prayers this weekend. If you want to know more about the auction and mitochondrial disease click here. Enjoy your three day weekend, but don't forget your homework: Reading: Write a letter to Anton Chekhov (see the Checklist for Reading Imaginative Literature for details). Read for half an hour. Extra Credit: Write me an e-mail with your paraphrases of any four of the quotes we have paraphrased in class since the start of the year.

Be Sure to Review Tonight

Be ready for tomorrow's quote quiz in Reading, and the diagramming test in English. Reading: Quote quiz: there are ten quotes you should have memorized for tomorrow Socratic Seminar: summarize our discussion of Chekhov's "The Bet" English: Continue to prepare for the diagramming test. Religion: Come in with questions about the Argument from Design, the First Cause Argument, or the Argument from Conscience

Talk Like a Pirate Day

I forget to mention in class that today was Talk Like a Pirate Day, so let me just send out an Ahoy, Matey! to all of you tonight. Today's Homework: Reading: Finish marking up "The Bet" and write out a list of questions you have about the text. Memorize the quote by Abraham Lincoln. Read for half an hour. Be ready for the quote quiz on Thursday. English: Continue studying for your Thursday diagramming test.

Happy Monday!

Today's Homework: Reading: Make a general and specific outline of "The Bet" by Anton Chekhov. Memorize the adage by Clifton Fadiman. (And, of course, read for half an hour.) English: Finish the diagramming worksheet.

Socratic Seminar

Even though we were short on time, I was very pleased with our first Socratic Seminar. One sign that you were all thinking is that many of you continued talking about the story even after the bell rang. Have your parents read "The Zebra Storyteller" and ask them some of the questions we talked about today and see what they think. This weekend's homework: MENTOR APPLICATIONS DUE MONDAY!!! DON'T FORGET! Religion: STOP-TALK-SOLVE quiz on Monday Reading: No homework English: No homework Question of the Week: Send me an e-mail with the answer to this question and get a draw from the treasure box on Monday: Why is it important to mark up a book when you read it?

Reading Quiz Tomorrow

Don't forget tomorrow's quiz in Reading. Be sure to review all seven quotes. Today's Homework: Religion: Memorize the STOP-TALK-SOLVE process for Monday Reading: Quiz tomorrow on memorized adages. Read for half an hour. English: None

A Reprieve!

There is no homework tonight in Religion, Reading or English (except for the daily tasks of reading for half an hour and memorizing today's quote by Robert Blair). This would be a great night to review your notes in all of those classes. Remember, each day's notes should be divided into three areas: The Left Margin: This area should contain questions about the day's information. The Main, Center Portion: This area is where you take your notes. The Bottom Margin: This is where you write your summary of the day's notes. Try to keep this down to a sentence or two. Tonight would be a good time to make sure you have summarized each day's notes, and to review the material. First cover your notes, then ask yourself the questions you have written in the margin. Can you answer the questions without looking? This is also a good night to improve your memorization of the All Saints creed.

Back to School Night!

I hope to see all of your parents here tonight at 7:00 for Back to School Night. We will begin in the church and then move to the classrooms, where your parents will get to visit all your teachers by following your schedule. Today's Homework: Reading: Mark up "The Zebra Storyteller." Remember that when you mark up a text, you truly make it your own. Here are things that you can look for and mark: Whatever you think is important Whatever you don't understand Whatever you like or dislike Whatever you think is related to something else in the text Please be sure to review the article on marking books by Mortimer Adler. I can't stress enough just how important it is to write down your thoughts and questions as you read. Don't forget to read for half an hour. English: Nothing! Religion: Nothing!

Great Work Today!

Today's Reading class was a little difficult as we tried to assemble our portfolio binders, but you all did an excellent job of listening. Please try to have the binders completely assembled by tomorrow so that your parents can see them at Back to School Night. Today's Homework: Religion: None; this would be a good night to review all of your Religion notes, and to make sure that you have summaries at the bottom of each page of your notebook. Reading: Finish your detailed outline of "The Zebra Storyteller." Remember to break each major part down into smaller parts. Read for one half hour. Memorize the quote by Helen MacInness English: Diagram the seven sentences you received in class today. You can write the diagrams on the handout or on separate paper--your choice. Other: Begin working on your mentor application

Weekend Notes

Here is a reminder of things you have for homework this weekend: Reading: Finish dividing "The Zebra Storyteller" into parts. Just mark the different parts on the story itself. Look for places in the story where the scene changes. Bring your three ring binder on Monday, along with your independent reading book. English: Read pages 57-61 in your English book, answer the questions mentally as you read, and summarize those pages in one sentence on a 3x5 card. Question of the Week: Send me an e-mail with the answer to this question and get a draw from the treasure box on Monday: Why am I requiring that you read for a half an hour a day, five days a week? What good is it?

Books to be Tasted

Remember that we will have a schedule change tomorrow. Because of the magazine sale assembly at 10:30, 8 North students will have Reading from 8:45 to 9:33. 8 South students will have Reading from 12:45 to 1:33. Here are the key questions you should be able to answer after today's Reading class: What is reading? What are the two main types of reading we will be doing this year? Homework for today: Reading: Choose a book from the "Books to be Tasted" List Buy a three ring binder with a 1" or 2" ring Memorize the Francis Bacon quote Also, keep working on memorizing the All Saints Creed English (due Monday, September 11): Read pages 57-61 Answer the questions mentally as you read Summarize those pages in one sentence on a 3x5 card

First Mass of the Year

I was very pleased with your behavior at our all school Mass today. Thank you to all those who participated, either by singing or by serving. We couldn't do it without you. After today's classes, you should be able to answer these questions: Reading: What is paraphrasing? Why is paraphrasing important? How do you paraphrase? English: What are the different stages of the writing process? Why write? Do you have tonight's homework written in your assignment book? Reading: Memorize the adage by Thomas Carlyle; buy a three-ring binder with eight tabbed sections; continue memorizing the All Saints Creed English: Read pages 3-7 in your English book; on a 3x5 card, summarize those pages in one sentence. (Don't forget the extra credit!)

Day One is Gone!

The first day of your last year at All Saints is over. Did you make the best of it? Did you grab everything you could? Remember, use this day to its fullest; choose to become the best version of yourself. Don't forget your homework: Finish your student survey. Write a paragraph telling me about one goal you have for yourself this year, and what your plan is for achieving that goal. This should be written on a 3x5 card. Begin memorizing the All Saints Creed (due Monday, September 11). Also, please remember to be dropped off at the Primary Building tomorrow, or to take the shuttle down in the morning.

Welcome, Class of 2007!

Welcome back to school! I hope you are ready to do four things this year: Believe in yourself - You have tremendous gifts and are capable of great things. Believe in your classmates - "We are a community. Sometimes all for one and one for all, sometimes live and let live." Work hard - "Today will decide whether you succeed or fail tomorrow. You can't just sit in a seat and grow smart." Be willing to take risks and make mistakes - "We can do more and learn more when we're willing to risk." "If you can't make a mistake you can't make anything." I look forward to working with each and every one of you. I have been teaching for over fifteen years, and it always energizes me to work with junior high students. Welcome to the Road to High School!