Research Paper Guidelines

Guidelines for Writing Your Research Paper

• All drafts and final paper must be typed, 12 pt. Times New Roman font, double-spaced.
• Your paper should be made up of an introduction (one paragraph), a body (at least six paragraphs) and a conclusion (one paragraph).
• You must have a thesis statement in which you introduce three sub-topics.
• Include transitions between paragraphs.
• Do not use I, me, we, us, you etc. in your paper.
• You should have at least 1000 words in your final draft.
• Include information from at least three sources (one MUST be a book, only ONE may be an internet site).
• You must have a works cited page (we will talk more about this in class).
• You must have in-text citations from all three sources (we will talk more about this in class).
• Quotations can be no longer than 4 typed lines.
• Do not plagiarize (use your own words, structure, ideas)
• You will turn in your outline, drafts, revisions, works cited pages and anything else we worked on in class along with your final draft. Do not throw any of these things away.
  

Structure
Introduction (3-5 sentences)

• Hook: Grab the reader’s attention with a quote, scenario, question, vivid description, etc. Must be related to your topic. 1-2 sentences
• Thesis statement: Simply and clearly state the main idea of your essay.1 sentence
• Three sub-topics. Choose three points of similarities and differences you will write about. Briefly state these ideas here. 1-3 sentences

Paragraphs 2-3 (5-8 sentences each)

• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your first sub-topic
• Write a paragraph including specific details and examples from the text and your own experience
• Write a transition sentence.

Paragraphs 4-5 (5-8 sentences each)

• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your second sub-topic
• Write a paragraph including specific details and examples from the text and your own experience
• Write a transition sentence.

Paragraphs 6-7 (5-8 sentences each)

• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your third sub-topic
• Write a paragraph including specific details and examples from the text and your own experience
• Write a transition sentence.

Conclusion (3-5 sentences)

• Summarize—restate your thesis statement and three sub-topics in different words
• Make a closing statement. Tie your closing statement back to your opening hook.

12/15/08

We started our day with spelling words and then reading/glossary time. Find the new list in the right side bar.

We're still working on the research paper. You should have given your draft and an evaluation form to your parents to read over the weekend. I checked evaluation forms today. Use the evaluation to show you what you need to focus on to make your final draft better. Be sure to keep your form so you can attach it to your final draft when you turn it in on Thursday.

Today's task is to print a first draft of the Works Cited page. Remember, you need at least three sources. One must be a book. No more than one website. I will be checking Works Cited pages tomorrow in class. Remember, all these deadline points really add up. Stay on task and complete each assignment by the due date and you'll get a good grade.

12/11/08

We have been working on our first drafts in the computer lab during the last two days. We are working toward completing a 1000-word draft by the end of class tomorrow.

Remember to cite your sources in the text of your paper. Here is a good site to show how to use in-text citations.

Your draft should:

• be typed, doubled-spaced in 12 pt. Times New Roman font
• include a thesis statement (the main topic of your research paper) and three sub-topics
• be at least 8 paragraphs, including an introduction (1 paragraph) a body (six paragraphs) and a conclusion (1 paragraph)
• be at least 1000 word (click on Tools then Word Count to find the number of words)
• have MLA formatted in-text citations (at least one per paragraph and from at least three different sources)

We will be printing our drafts by the end of class on Friday. I will ask you to have your parents read your draft and fill out an evaluation over the weekend. We'll work on revising and editing on Monday and Tuesday in class. We'll also work on the Works Cited page and the Title Page.

Remember, don't throw away any of the steps we have worked on for this project. We'll turn everything in next week!

12/9/08

Today we talked about the MLA format for citing sources. When you write a research paper, you have to document your sources. That means you have to tell the reader where you got your information. We are using the MLA format for citing sources for this research paper. Today in class, I gave you a chart showing how to follow this format. We also practiced using the MLA format on a worksheet. Get the worksheet and chart from me if you missed classes.

Here is a great website showing how to use MLA format. Use your chart and this website to format your Works Cited page. Remember, you need at least three sources for your research paper. You must use at least one book and no more than one good website.

We also worked on our outlines for our research paper. If you missed today, get an outline form from me.

12/8/08

We are continuing with our research paper. We are spending today in the library doing some book research. Remember, I am requiring you to use at least one book for a source of information for your research paper. We are taking notes of interesting information today. Make sure to write the book and page number next to each note so you can cite your sources in your paper.

We will be writing on outline tomorrow. We will also be talking about MLA format for citing sources. We will talk about the "Works Cited"--what to include and how to format. Remember, if you complete each task I give in class, you should be able to complete your research paper without any homework. Only those who mess around in class get stuck with homework. Be sure to complete each task when it is assigned.

Check the right column for this week's spelling list.

Research Paper Calendar

Research Paper Calendar

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Research Paper Calendar

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12/3/08

Today was late start--so we had a short class.

We started with reading and glossaries. Next we talked about the upcoming research paper. We will be doing some preliminary research over the next couple of days. We will each explore three interesting topics to narrow down the to topic of our focus by Friday.

Get a chart from me if you weren't here today.

See this calendar for important due dates for this project. Be sure to click on the screen icon to get the full screen view of the calendar.

12/2/08

Today we read "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh", by Ray Bradbury on page 203 of the red lit. book.

We filled in the compare/contrast chart as we read. The chart was due at the end of class.

12/1/08

We finished the final copy of the compare/contrast essay last Wednesday. Turn it in as soon as you can if you missed class on Wednesday.

Today we started with a new list of spelling words. Check the right side bar for the list. We will have a spelling quiz on Friday.

Today we read "Drumbeats and Bullets" on page 197 of your red literature book. This is a non-fiction account of the drummer boys in the Civil War. We will be comparing this article with a fictional story about drummer boys we will be reading tomorrow. Copy the chart on page 202, read "Drumbeats and Bullets" on page 197, and fill out the first column of your chart.

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

11/24/08

Welcome to a new trimester! I'm a bit late getting started with my blog for this tri--I hope you'll forgive me.

Things we have already discussed:

Glossary

During reading time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, you will be required to enter a word you your glossary. A glossary is a collection of vocabulary words and definitions found in the back of technical books. Your glossary will be a collection of words and definitions you find from the books you will read during reading time. I would like you to keep a glossary in the back few pages on your journal. Your glossary should be a chart with these headings: date, word, book page #, definition. As you read, look for words that may be unfamiliar, interesting, fun to say, or just plain curious. When you find a word you'd like to add to your glossary list, record the date, the word, the book and page number where you found your word, and a definition of the word in your own words.

This is not a dictionary activity. I repeat, this is not a dictionary activity. That means, don't use a dictionary to find your definitions. You will find your definitions right there in the book you are reading. Look for context clues (clues in the text of your book), first in the sentence the word is part of, then in the sentences before and after that sentence. Sometimes the context clues come through an entire chapter. I promise there are clues in every book you read to help you understand the words in the book.

Here is an example from Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer. On page 77 it says, "Finally the curiosity I'd suppressed so long got the best of me." The word suppressed might be an unfamiliar or interesting word to you. So let's look at the sentence to see if we can figure out what it means based on how it is used. Clue #1: curiosity. We know what curiosity is. It means an inquisitive state of being. She wants to know something, and she wants to know it bad. Clue #2: got the best of me. We know that means it won the contest, took over, or overcame. Clue #3: finally. We understand that to mean that it was a long time before the curiosity took over. That means she was able to hold back her curiosity for some time. So now we're ready to guess based on our clues. What does suppressed mean? It must mean to hold back. So for your definition, you would write "hold back" or some similar phrase.

It's just that easy.

This is a skill that you will use again and again. If you are able to use context clues properly, it will help you to be a life-long learner. Plus it makes school a whole lot easier.

You will turn your glossary in at mid-term and at final. I expect at least one word for every reading period we have. That means by the time the trimester is over, you should have about 36 words in your glossary. Each entry is worth 3 points. Make sure to keep up with your glossary every time we read so you won't have to make it up at the end.


On Friday, we read "Thanksgiving: A Meal Without Forks and Other Feast Facts" on page 137 in the literature textbook. After reading the essay, we made a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting the first Thanksgiving with our modern-day Thanksgiving traditions. This was a pre-writing activity to prepare us for a compare/contrast essay we will be writing today, tomorrow and Wednesday.

Today we started with reading/glossaries. You should have two words in your glossaries after today.

Next we continued with our prewriting activities--this time we wrote an outline. An outline is a like a map that shows us where to go (and what to write) in our drafts. This is what we covered today:

Structure of a five paragraph compare/contrast essay

Introduction (3-5 sentences)
• Hook: Grab the reader’s attention with a quote, scenario, question, vivid description, etc. Must be related to your topic. 1-2 sentences
• Thesis statement: Simply and clearly state the main idea of your essay.1 sentence
• Three sub-topics. Choose three points of similarities and differences you will write about. Briefly state these ideas here. 1-3 sentences

Paragraph 2 (5-8 sentences)
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your first sub-topic
• Write a paragraph including specific details and examples from the text and your own experience
• Write a transition sentence.

Paragraph 3 (5-8 sentences)
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your second sub-topic
• Write a paragraph including specific details and examples from the text and your own experience
• Write a transition sentence.

Paragraph 4 (5-8 sentences)
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your third sub-topic
• Write a paragraph including specific details and examples from the text and your own experience
• Write a transition sentence.

Conclusion (3-5 sentences)
• Summarize—restate your thesis statement and three sub-topics in different words
• Make a closing statement. Tie your closing statement back to your opening hook.

Do not use phrase like:
• I’m writing my essay about . . .
• This assignment is . . .
• My first (second, third) sub-topic is . . .
• My thesis statement is . . .

Outline, Compare/contrast Essay
Directions: Use the outline form below to organize your compare/contrast essay. Choose your topic and three sub-topics to show similarities and differences. Section I is for your introduction. Section II is for the body (one paragraph for each sub-topic). Section III is for your conclusion.

Topic_____________________________________________________
I. Introduction
a. Hook___________________________________________________
b. Thesis statement____________________________________________
c. Sub-topic #1_________________________________________________
d. Sub-topic #2_________________________________________________
e. Sub-topic #3_________________________________________________
II. Body
a. Sub-topic #1_________________________________________________
i. Example #1____________________________________________
ii. Example #2____________________________________________
iii. Example #3____________________________________________
iv. Transition_____________________________________________
b. Sub-topic #2_________________________________________________
i. Example #1____________________________________________
ii. Example #2____________________________________________
iii. Example #3____________________________________________
iv. Transition_____________________________________________
c. Sub-topic #3_________________________________________________
i. Example #1____________________________________________
ii. Example #2____________________________________________
iii. Example #3____________________________________________
iv. Transition_____________________________________________
III. Conclusion
a. Restate thesis (different words)__________________________________
b. Restate sub-topics (different words)_______________________________
c. Clincher (tie it all together)______________________________________

The outline is due tomorrow!

11/17/08

Make sure to turn in your hall passes and late work vouchers for extra credit today. Tomorrow is the last day of the tri!

11/13/08

Today we started a five-paragraph persuasive essay. We talked about structure and we wrote an outline. We watched this PowerPoint presentation.

Structure of a five paragraph persuasive essay

Introduction (3-5 sentences)
• Hook: Grab the reader’s attention with a quote, scenario, question, vivid description, etc. Must be related to your topic. 1-2 sentences
• Thesis statement: Simply and clearly state your position on the issue. 1 sentence
• Three arguments. Choose three arguments you can use to convince your reader of your position. Briefly state these arguments here. 1-3 sentences

Paragraph 2 (5-8 sentences)
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your first argument
• Write a paragraph about it
• Use specific examples to support your argument
• Write a transition sentence.

Paragraph 3 (5-8 sentences)
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your second argument
• Write a paragraph about it
• Use specific examples to support your argument
• Write a transition sentence.

Paragraph 2 (5-8 sentences)
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your third argument
• Write a paragraph about it
• Use specific examples to support your argument
• Write a transition sentence.

Conclusion (3-5 sentences)
• Summarize—restate your thesis statement and three arguments in different words
• Make a closing statement. Tie your closing statement back to your opening hook.


Outline, Persuasive Essay
Directions: Use the outline form below to organize your persuasive essay. Choose your topic and three arguments to support your opinion. Section I is for your introduction. Section II is for the body (one paragraph for each argument). Section III is for your conclusion.

Topic___________________________________________________________________

I. Introduction
a. Hook_______________________________________________________
b. Thesis statement______________________________________________
c. Argument #1_________________________________________________
d. Argument #2_________________________________________________
e. Argument #3_________________________________________________
II. Body
a. Argument #1_________________________________________________
i. Example #1____________________________________________
ii. Example #2____________________________________________
iii. Example #3____________________________________________
iv. Transition_____________________________________________
b. Argument #2_________________________________________________
i. Example #1____________________________________________
ii. Example #2____________________________________________
iii. Example #3____________________________________________
iv. Transition_____________________________________________
c. Argument #3_________________________________________________
i. Example #1____________________________________________
ii. Example #2____________________________________________
iii. Example #3____________________________________________
iv. Transition_____________________________________________
III. Conclusion
a. Restate thesis (different words)__________________________________
b. Restate arguments (different words)_______________________________
c. Clincher (tie it all together)______________________________________

We will be going to the computer lab tomorrow.

11/4/08 - 11/12/08

Mrs. Cheney has been a slacker! So sorry. Here is a recap of what we've done in the past week or so. We finished up the compare/contrast unit with a group project. Each group created a Venn diagram, then wrote a one paragraph summary of the differences and similarities between "The Monkey's Paw" and "The Third Wish." If you missed this activity, come see me.

The next few class periods we spent reading "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes. This story is in your red literature books. If you missed one or more days during the four days we read, you will need to check a book out and read the part you missed.

Today we are taking a test (of sorts) on "Flowers for Algernon". This is a making connections test--I'm far more interested in what you think about the issues surrounding Charlie in our story than the nit-picky details of the story. If you missed today, you will need to be prepared to fill in a plot map and answer several essay questions using examples from the story and from your own experiences to show me what you think.

Tomorrow we will start writing a persuasive essay.

Remember, due dates are a-coming! Don't forget--Friday is your last day to turn everything in.

11/3/08

We read "The Third Wish", by Joan Aiken, today. We filled out our compare/contrast chart. We found that this story was quite different from "The Monkey's Paw" even though they are centered on a common motif. Tomorrow we will be making connections with the similarities and differences.

Be sure to study your spelling words and know your POSOTW.

10/31/08

Happy Halloween!

Today we told scary stories in the dark. CREEPY!!!!

We talked about story telling techniques such as volume of your voice, rate of your speech, hand gestures, facial gestures, sound effects, lighting, etc. We practiced using our very best story-telling techniques to scare the socks off of each other. Did it work?

10/30/08

We read the second part of "The Monkey's Paw" today. Check out a book if you missed class.

10/29/08

Today we started a compare/contrast short story unit. We read the first part of "The Monkey's Paw," by W.W. Jacob. We will be reading again tomorrow.

10/28/08

Today we wrote essays on www.myaccess.com. This is a great writing evaluation program for you to use at school and at home. I have added several prompts in the "assignment" folder. You may use these prompts to practice your writing at home. Remember, your username is your first name and student ID # (no spaces, no S), and your password is 999 and your last name (no spaces).

Today's writing sample is for the school district. We will write another essay at the end of the school year to see how much we have learned.

10/27/08

No spelling words this week!

Using our peer evaluation sheets, we made changes to our drafts today in class. We spent the entire class period working on our final drafts. The final autobiography is due tomorrow. Use this score sheet to put your paper together. Make sure you give yourself a grade!

Score Sheet
Name____________________________ Class period__________

Please staple your paper in the following order:
• This score sheet
• Outline
• Draft
• Peer edit sheets
• Picture
• Final draft

Student score
All steps included ________/30
Visual aid ________/15
Introduction ________/15
Three experiences ________/45
Transitions ________/15
Life lessons ________/30
Total ________/150

Mrs. Cheney’s score
All steps included _______/30
Visual aid _______/15
Introduction _______/15
Three experiences _______/45
Transitions _______/15
Life lessons _______/30
Total _______/150

10/24/08

We started today by taking the spelling quiz. If you were absent, arrange to make it up before or after school, or during advisory on Wednesday.

We spent the rest of the class period doing peer evaluations. Using the following form, have two friends or family members read your paper and answer the questions to help you find ways to improve your paper. Use their suggestions to make changes to your draft.

Autobiography Peer Evaluation
Writer____________________________ Reader_____________________________
Your draft has 11 indented, double-spaced paragraphs Y N
Your draft is typed in Times New Roman Font, 12 pt. Y N
Your draft has an intro, a body and a conclusion Y N
Your intro has a hook and introduces three experiences Y N
Your body has 3 experiences, 3 paragraphs each experience Y N
Your conclusion explains the meanings of your experiences Y N
I have three questions about your experiences.
Question #1 _____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Question #2 _____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Question #3 _____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________


We will work on our final drafts on Monday.

10/23/08

We worked on our drafts all day today. Don't forget to bring a printed copy of your first draft to class tomorrow. We will also have a spelling quiz tomorrow.

10/22/08

Autobiography Visual Aid
Your autobiography is an opportunity for you to express who you are based on the stories you tell. The reader should come away with a basic understanding of your values, ideals, characteristics, hopes and dreams. To further illustrate who you are, you will be required to turn in one visual representation of yourself along with your final draft. This visual representation can be anything you would like it to be—a drawn or painted picture, a photograph, a collage, a graph, a chart, a map, a diagram, a pattern, a diorama, a poster, an abstract drawing—anything that you feel represents you. The only requirement is that it be a visual representation. Be as creative as you can.

Autobiography outline
Directions: Use the outline form below to help you organize your autobiography. Choose three experiences and list the important points under each experience. Section I is for your introduction. Section II is for the body (including each of the experiences). Section III is for your conclusion. Be sure to include the meaning of your experiences in your conclusion. You will turn this outline in with your final draft.

I. Introduction
a. Experience #1___________________________________
b. Experience #2___________________________________
c. Experience #3___________________________________

II. Body
a. Experience #1___________________________________
i. Detail__________________________________________
ii. Detail_________________________________________
iii. Detail________________________________________
b. Experience #2___________________________________
i. Detail__________________________________________
ii. Detail_________________________________________
iii. Detail________________________________________
c. Experience #3___________________________________
i. Detail__________________________________________
ii. Detail_________________________________________
iii. Detail________________________________________

III. Conclusion
a. Meaning experience #1___________________________
b. Meaning experience #2___________________________
c. Meaning experience #3___________________________
d. Tie it all together_____________________________

Autobiography Structure
Times New Roman, 12 pt. font
Double-space (ctrl 2), no extra spaces between paragraphs (only hit “enter” once)
Indent each paragraph (hit “tab” once)

Paragraph #1
Introduction: start with a hook (always!) The opening paragraph is the first bit of writing our readers will experience. We want our readers to enjoy our writing, so we give them our very best writing in the first paragraph to convince them to keep reading. There are several ways we can hook our readers. Here are just a few ideas:
• start with a question
• create a scenario the readers may be familiar with
• put the reader in your shoes
• draw the reader in with dialogue (this helps the reader feel as though he/she is personally involved in the situation)
• paint a picture with your words (imagery)
• use words and phrases that appeal to the senses
Do NOT write any of the following, or any variation of the following:
• "I am going to write about . . ."
• “This is a paper about . . ."
• "This is my writing assignment . . ."
• “My autobiography is about . . .”
After your hook, briefly introduce your three experiences. Your three experiences should be separate events. They should not be similar kinds of experiences. For example, you should not write about three different football games you played in. Instead, you should focus on the lesson you learned about yourself in the most important football game and then choose two other experiences that taught you the same kind of lesson.

Paragraphs #2, #3, #4
Start paragraph #2 with a transition sentence or word. Describe your first experience in these three paragraphs. Be sure to explain who, what, when, where, why and how when you are describing your details. Tell why this experience was meaningful to you in paragraph #4.

Paragraphs #5, #6, #7
Start paragraph #5 with a transition sentence or word. Describe your second experience in these three paragraphs. Be sure to explain who, what, when, where, why and how when you are describing your details. Tell why this experience was meaningful to you in paragraph #7.

Paragraphs #8, #9, #10
Start paragraph 8 with a transition sentence or word. Describe your third experience in these three paragraphs. Be sure to explain who, what, when, where, why and how when you are describing your details. Tell why this experience was meaningful to you in paragraph #10.

Paragraph #11
The conclusion of your paper should summarize your experiences and tie them together to show how they were meaningful to you. You must have some sort of a meaning tied to your experiences in this paper. I will be taking off points if you do not give me some sort of a meaning in the conclusion. It is very important that you focus on the meaning of your experiences. Please, please, please focus on the meaning of your experiences in your conclusion. (Do you think it might be important to focus on the meaning of your experiences in this paper? Hint: the answer is YES!)

The first draft (11 paragraphs) will be due at the beginning of class on Friday. We will work all day today and tomorrow in the computer lab.

10/21/08

Today we talked about adding detail. Yesterday we each wrote about an experience we have had that was somehow meaningful to us. Today we are revisiting the experience to see what kinds of details we should add. Remember, a good way to find details to add is to ask yourself where, what, when, why, how questions. You should also make some sort of connection between your experience and what it means to you today. Here is an example of how I added detail to my experience:

When I was five years old I was jumping on the couch. I fell and hit the sliding glass door. When my mom heard the crash she ran into the room. She found me lying on the floor with broken glass all around me.

Here is the same experience after I added important details:

Five year old children have a lot of energy. I was no exception to the rule. When I was five, I loved to climb and jump. Wherever we went, my mom was always pulling me down off of things, but I wouldn’t stop climbing.

One day when I was watching TV in the living room I started getting antsy. I needed to climb or jump or run or do SOMETHING. I couldn’t stand just sitting there watching Sesame Street. So I climbed onto the back of the couch. Then I thought it would be fun to jump from the back onto the cushions of the couch. It was fun for a while, but I started to get bored again. I needed more of a challenge, so I decided to try jumping from the cushions up to the arm. Well, I jumped too far—which wouldn’t have been so bad if it hadn’t been for the sliding glass door on the other side of the arm.

I crashed through the glass of the door. I don’t really remember that part, but my mom remembers the sound. She came running into the room to see what on earth had happened. She found me there, lying in the glass, looking up at the remaining glass with its sharp ends pointing at my stomach.

My mom freaked right the heck out, until I looked at her and said, “Sorry Mom.” She couldn’t believe that I was okay—not only okay, but I didn’t have a single scratch or bump from the incident. She was so happy that she started crying. I think she cried later on, too, when she realized they would have to buy a new sliding glass door.

These days I still climb, but instead of furniture I climb mountains. In August my husband and I climbed the Grand Teton. It was an experience I will never forget, and it symbolizes a big part of who I am. I climb now for inspiration rather than to rid myself of excess energy. The beauty of the mountains helps me to be grateful for our earth and all the joy it provides for mankind.

Do you see how the added details make a difference in my story?

Your assignment today was to look at the experience you wrote yesterday and add details. When you are satisfied with the description of your first experience, write about a second. You should write at least three paragraphs for each of three experiences.

I also gave this worksheet to help you decide which experiences you would like to focus on:

Who Am I? Name______________________________

Use the following questions to gather ideas (pre-write) for your autobiography. This worksheet is meant to get you started. Don’t limit yourself to these topics when writing your first draft.

1. What is your favorite thing to do after school or on weekends?



2. What is your earliest memory?



3. Describe a time when you were hurt.



4. Describe a happy moment from your childhood.



5. What is your family like? Describe them.



6. What do you think is the best thing about you?



7. What is your greatest talent? What do you do with your talent?



8. Think of three experiences you have had that show who you are. Briefly describe those experiences here. You can write on the back of this paper if you run out of room. Write as much as you can so you will have something to work with when you write your first draft.

10/20/08

I hope everyone had a wonderful fall break! I went to a rendezvous with my husband and our six girls. We had a wonderful time dressed in our colonial clothes, cooking outdoors, and mingling with other campers. The weather was simply gorgeous!

Today we started with this week's spelling words. See the right side bar for the list. We also talked about the P.O.S.O.T.W. Be sure to study these things on your own for a quiz on Friday.

We started a new writing project today; we are writing a personal narrative. A personal narrative is a description of an experience you have had. We are working toward an autobiography, in which you will write about three experiences you have had that were meaningful to you. The personal narrative can be one of those three experiences.

We started by brainstorming different kinds of experiences you could choose. Since you are writing three paragraphs about this experience, we decided the experience should be one that is very clear in your memory. The more you can remember, the easier it will be to write three full paragraphs. Here are some possible ideas: painful experience
scary experience
embarrassing experience
exhilerating experience
learning experience
near-death experience
first experience in any area
spiritual experience
negative experience
traveling experience
etc.

You have each had 13-14 years to experience life. Tell me about one of those experiences in three paragraphs. Remember, each paragraph should be 5-8 sentences long. The more you write today, the more you'll have to include in your autobiography.

The first draft of your personal narrative is due tomorrow.

10/13/08

We took the final test on The Outsiders today. If you missed it, you can make it up tomorrow or Wednesday during class while we're watching the movie.

10/10/08

We took our spelling quiz during the first ten minutes of class, then we finished reading The Outsiders. We will have a test on Monday. The test will be all about the big ideas of the book along with connections between the book and real life. Just like Ponyboy's English teacher, I want to know your big ideas. So come Monday ready to think, think, think!

10/9/08

Today we read to page 166, then we practiced our spelling words in the computer lab at http://spellingcity.com.

10/8/08

We started with 10 minutes of reading (don't forget to put a word in your glossary), then we read, read, read again. Be sure to make connections with the themes and your own life as we read. The test on Monday will be all about making connections.

Tomorrow we will be in the computer lab for a spelling activity after we read some more of The Outsiders.

10/7/08

Today, after journals, we read, read, read. We read through chapter 8, page 130, of The Outsiders. We talked about the emerging themes in the book--family, individuality, stereotypes, violence. We're finishing the book this week, so expect to do a lot of reading this week in class.

Remember to study your spelling words!

10/6/08

We got new spelling words today. These words are tricky plural words. Not all plural words end with an "s". We have a shorter list this week because we're also doing prefixes and suffixes. See the right side bar for the list of words.

We discussed Thursday's reading today, then read pages 93-110 in class. We were on assembly schedule today, so class was a little shorter than usual.

Thanks to all the parents who came in to see me during parent teacher conferences. I appreciate working with you to create a successful experience for your student. I hope we can continue to work together.

10/2/08

Today we practiced our spelling words, we took a spelling quiz, we turned in our first book report, then we read silently from our Outsiders books for the rest of class. We read through page 93. We'll discuss on Monday.

Bring your parents to parent/teacher conferences this afternoon or tomorrow during school hours. No school tomorrow due to conferences.

10/1/08

Today was late start--so of course we didn't get nearly enough done. *sigh*

First we took a quiz on the first 75 pages of The Outsiders.

Next we talked about the poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay", by Robert Frost.

Nothing Gold Can Stay
Robert Frost

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

To understand the poem, we analyzed it. That means we broke it down into parts to figure out which each part meant, then we put it all back together again to find the meaning of the poem. The first step was to find the metaphors. They are:

Nature's first green is gold
and
Her early leaf's a flower

Next we had to figure out what the metaphors mean. In order to do that, we need to know something about denotation and connotation. We can break those two words into word cells (aha! something useful comes from knowing word cells!). These two words have the same root--notation. So what is a notation? It's a group of symbols used to represent something meaningful. So it can be words, numbers, music, anything that has a group of symbols that are somehow meaningful. For our purposes, we will say a notation is a word.

Next we look at the prefixes--de- and co-. Co- means with and de- means down or minimal. We can put the prefixes with the roots to discover the meaning of denotation is just the word itself while connotation is the word along with other ideas we associate with the word. A simpler way to say it is a denotation is a dictionary definition of a word while a connotation is everything we think about when we hear a word. When we have a metaphor, we look at the connotation of the words being compared.

Let's compare green and gold:

Green
Money
Foliage
Nature
Eco-friendly
New
Jealousy
Sick

Gold
Money
Jewelry
Riches
Warmth
Wealth
Friendliness

We take this a step further by looking at the phrase, "Nature's first green". What is nature's first green? Spring. So how is spring gold? After a long winter, we long for spring. We get so happy when we see the first signs of spring. We have been waiting for this day through months of snow--so it feels like gold to us.

The next metaphor is "Her early leaf's a flower". How is a leaf a flower? Taking on connotations again, a flower is a positive symbol that gives us warm, fuzzy feelings inside. So a leaf is as good as a flower when it's all we have. Or we can take into consideration that some trees flower before they produce leaves. Or we can look at an early leaf. What color is it? Usually a yellow green--not the true green of a leaf. When buds first appear, they are usually indistinguishable from flower buds. When they first open, the edges are ruffled like flowers.

The whole idea is that spring is a new and wonderful time. We all look forward to it, and the new greenery is beautiful to us.

"Her hardest hue to hold" is a good example of alliteration, or the repetition of the first sound of multiple words in a sentence or line. The use of alliteration here makes the line stand out. It also makes the poem more pleasant to listen to. What is the idea of this line? Knowing that hue means color helps. This line goes along with "But only so an hour" to say spring is fleeting. It doesn't last very long. The colors change, we get used to it, life goes on and before we know it, it's fall.

The next device we're looking for is an allusion. Poets often include a reference to a commonly known place, event or character. The idea is that the reader uses his or her background knowledge of the allusion to draw connections to the poem. In this case, the allusion is "So Eden sank to grief". Eden is a reference to the garden of Eden. In the Christian tradition of the creation, the garden of Eden was a paradise that fell into a state of chaos. The paradise was only temporary--just like spring. Most people are familiar with the Christian creation story, so most people would understand that Frost is making an indirect comparison of the garden of Eden to spring time.

The last line, "Nothing Gold can stay", finalizes the idea. We can't hang on to spring forever. Fall will also end the golden springtime. Winter kills it altogether. Spring is temporary, but while it lasts, it's golden.

Now we have to put it all back together and decide what it means to us. Can we apply this interpretation to other ideas, other cycles? When we read about Johnny and Ponyboy tomorrow, we find out that they aren't just talking about spring time when they talk about this poem. We find out they are talking about other beginnings. They are talking about the newness of anything state of being. They are especially talking about youth. The idea is that when you are young, you are full of hope for the future. Everything is wonderful, and you can become anything in the world. But as you age, you lose that optimistic outlook on life. You become jaded by all the bad things that are happening in your world around you.

Sounds pretty pessimistic, doesn't it? Let's see how it all pans out in The Outsiders. We may find more meaning in the poem as the story progresses.

9/30/08

Today's journal assignment was to write each of the word cells on my list five times. Here is the list:

hydra, hydro
chron
therm
meter
di
centi
phobia
ize
logical

We continued with our reading of The Outsiders. We read through page 75 today. At this point of the book, we are in the middle of the rising action and several themes have been introduced. A theme is a big idea, a lesson, a moral of the story, or a recurring idea in the book. We brainstormed a list of themes we seen so far, and this is what we came up with:

violence causes more problems than it solves
friends are important influences
everyone has problems, no matter the social class
don't judge a book by its cover (stereotyping)
families come in all different forms
everyone could be considered an "outsider" depending on who they are with
your group doesn't define you as an individual

We also talked about symbols. A symbol is a thing or event that represents something greater than itself. Some symbols we've found in the book so far:

greasers' hair = their identity
socs' money, cars, clothes, jewelry = social status, wealth, power, intimidation

We met in groups to discuss themes in an activity called "The Last Word". Each member of the group was given opportunity to discuss a theme of the book. We also talked about the importance of connecting literature to our own lives. If we don't ask ourselves what it means to us individually, we don't really learn the lessons the book has to offer.

If you missed today, please check out a book and get caught up on the reading.

Remember, there will be a quiz on the first 75 pages tomorrow. The spelling quiz will be on Thursday this week due to parent/teacher conferences.

Please come see me during the conferences with your parents. The more your parents are involved in your education, the more you will learn.

9/29/08

Today we got new spelling words and a new part of speech. Check out the right side bar for the list. You may notice that the words on our list this week have what we call "cells". A cell is a root, a suffix or a prefix that has a specific meaning. Cells give us clues as to the meaning of a word. It is also easier to spell words if we understand the cells that form them. Let's take a look at the some of the cells in our words today:

hydro: water
chrono: time
thermo: heat
meter: measure
phobia: fear
logical: pertaining to the study of
ize: to make
cent: one hundred

So, if we put these cells together, we find that thermometer means an instrument that measures heat. Hydrophobia means a fear of water. Chronological means pertaining to the study of time (or in the order of time). These cells are building blocks that help us to form words. Isn't the English language fun?

After the spelling words, we read from The Outsiders. See me to find out how far your class period got in the book today.

Remember, book reports are due on Thursday. We will also have a spelling quiz on Thursday. There is no school on Friday due to parent/teacher conferences.

9/26/08

Today we turned in journals/glossaries. I graded them while you read silently.

After reading time, we had the spelling quiz. Come in to make it up before or after school if you missed it.

Next we talked about book reports. You will each be required to turn in a book report by October 2. We have been reading all trimester, and many of you have read multiple books. Choose one to report on. I handed out book report forms in class. I have lots of extras if you need one. We will have another book report due at the end of the trimester.

In two of my classes, we talked about behavioral expectations. I issued a behavioral contract for students to qualify to watch The Outsiders, the movie. This is what the contract looks like:

Behavioral contract, The Outsiders
All students who maintain appropriate behavior will be included in watching the movie, The Outsiders. There will be a three strikes rule from now until the time we watch the movie in class. If you receive three strikes, you will be excluded from watching the movie. You will be given an alternate activity (a two-day assignment) to be completed in a different room if you do not comply with this behavioral contract. You may be given strikes for the following reasons:

• Talking to your neighbors
• Arguing with the teacher/sub
• Being disruptive in general
• Being tardy to class
• Making a mess in class
• Not following along while we read
• Using a cell phone or other electronic device in class
• Passing or writing notes in class
• Cheating on homework, quizzes, tests, etc.
• Saying unkind things to your classmates or teacher
• Not reading or writing your journal during the appropriate time
• Any other behavior that detracts from a positive learning environment

I will be keeping track of strikes on the role sheet. Anyone with three strikes will be excluded from watching the movie. I will also use the strikes to help me to determine your citizenship grade.

We read from The Outsiders for the rest of the class period.

9/25/08

Today we started with a journal entry: What group to you belong to? How does your group feel about interacting with other groups (both positive and negative)? Possible groups could be: cowboys, preppy, popular, goths, emos, jocks, geeks, techies, music/drama, religious, skaters, smart kids, etc.

Next we had a spelling activity. For this activity, you were to choose five words from this week's list. Be sure to choose five different words from the ones you chose on Tuesday. Write the word, spelling it aloud as you go. Write it again, only this time leave off the last syllable, but continue to spell it aloud. Write it again, leaving off the next to last syllable, but continue to spell it aloud. Continue until you have nothing left to write. Next, turn your paper over and write the word from memory. Repeat with each of the five words.

This week we are talking about adjectives. Look to the right side bar if you don't remember what an adjective is. During reading time today, we wrote all the adjective we could recognize from The Outsiders. Each student should have come up with quite a list. After we were done reading, we got into groups to share our adjectives. We eliminated the adjectives that were identified by more than one person in the group, and compiled a group list. Then we repeated the activity with the group lists as a class. Each class come up with 30-40 adjectives that only one person had identified. The point--adjectives are EVERYWHERE! Get used to them. :)

9/24/08

We started class with reading/glossaries. Journals and glossaries will be due on Friday. You should have seven journal entries and eleven glossary entries. Remember, you need to have the word, the book and a definition for full credit.

We talked about similes and idioms today (click on words for a definition). We had a class-time assignment to find five similes and idioms during our Outsiders reading today. There are dozens of examples you can choose from. The list was due at the end of class. As of today, we are about half way through chapter two.

9/23/08

Today we started with this journal prompt:

What does it mean to be an outsider? Have you ever felt like an outsider?

Next we had a spelling practice activity. This is what you do:

1. Take a piece of paper.
2. Fold it in three sections.
3. Label the first section "trace", the second section "copy", and the third section "recall."
4. Choose five words from the spelling list. Make sure to choose words you are having a hard time learning.
5. Write the five words in the first column.
6. Start with the first word in the "trace" column. Trace the word three times with your pencil or finger, saying each letter aloud as you trace it.
7. Go to the next column and copy the word, saying each letter aloud as you write it.
8. Fold your last column over so you can't see the first two columns. Write the word from memory, saying each letter aloud as you write it.
9. Repeat with the remaining four words.

This activity will help you to cement these words spellings in your mind. Be sure you spell the word correctly in the trace column so you study the correct spelling. Good luck!

Next we read the rest of chapter one from The Outsiders. We have learned about the Socs and the Greasers as well as the seven members of the Greaser gang. We also learned about a conflict between Darry and Ponyboy. Ponyboy wonders why the Socs hate Greasers so much. What do you think?

9/22/08

Today we got a new spelling list. Look to the side bar to the right to find this week's words. We also got a new P.O.S.O.T.W. which you can also find in the side bar to the right.

We had 15 minutes for reading and glossaries.

I handed out progress reports today. Mid-term grades will be sent home to your parents this week. If you feel the need to raise your grade before your parents get it in the mail, now would be an excellent time to do so. Remember I don't accept work without a late-work voucher.

We started reading The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, today. We talked about how to properly care for a book. Don't drop, throw, or hit things or people with your book. Don't open them open wider than how the book naturally falls when you place it on a surface while it is open. Take good care of these books, please. I will dock your citizenship points if you are not taking good care of the books.

We talked about S.E. Hinton as an author. Her name is Susan Eloise Hinton, but she published under her initials to hide her gender. She was worried that boys wouldn't want to read a book about gangs written by a chick. She was only 17 years old when The Outsiders was published! She wrote this book while she was in high school. It was based, in part, on the social issues her own high school was facing. Hinton started a new genre with The Outsiders. Before she wrote the book, there weren't books about young adult and teen issues. These days these kinds of books can be found in the young adult or adolescent literature sections in the library.

Hinton isn't the only author who has published under a gender-neutral name in order to maintain a readership. J.K. Rowling was also concerned about the possibility that no one would want to read her Harry Potter books if they knew the author was female.

We read the first 10 pages of The Outsiders as a class. We talked about our approach to reading novels in Mrs. Cheney's language arts class. I will read, and we will frequently stop to talk about the book. We will be analyzing the plot, the writing, the literary devices, and the social issues raised in this book. This means we will be breaking it down and putting it back together again in order to understand how it all works together.

Today we talked about the basic situation of the plot (characters, setting, background information), similes, alliteration and foreshadowing.

*Bonus!!!!* Find three adjectives in this post, write them down and a piece of paper along with your name and class hour then give it to me tomorrow and I will give you five extra credit points!

9/19/08

Today we had reading and glossary time at the beginning of class. After that, we took the spelling quiz. Then I handed back the your character analyses, and we talked about the problems and successes you had as a group. Believe it or not, this took the entire class period.

Coming attraction: The Outsiders

9/18/08

IOWA Testing today.

9/17/08

IOWA Testing today.

9/16/08

IOWA Testing today.

9/15/08

Today we wrote spelling words in our planners, then we read and put words in our glossaries.

We also had a discussion about stereotyping. We talked about stereotyping based on gender and race. Try this: look at the list below. Mentally decide what gender and race each of these people are.

16 year old gang member from West Valley City

14 year old whose father is a doctor

11 year old whose older brother got arrested for drunk driving

16 year old drug dealer

15 year old who goes to church every Sunday

13 year old who can’t wait to drop out of school

17 year old who plays on teams in three different sports

14 year old who wants to be an artist

15 year old who wants to be a dentist

12 year old smoker

13 year old straight A student

17 year old model


Did a specific race and gender automatically pop into your head? This is called stereotyping--or making a judgement on someone based on a limited view of the person. We all do it. Unfortunately, it's not a good thing. When we stereotype, we often make assumptions about people which are not true. Sometimes this can cause huge problems. Think about a time someone stereotyped you. How did it make you feel?

We are going to be reading The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton during the next three weeks of class. We will be discussing social issues such as stereotyping, gangs, violence, acceptance, and the ability to understand who you are as an individual. We will also be learning more about plot elements and literary devices. Hope you enjoy!

9/12/08

Today we had a spelling quiz, then finished our character analysis essays. If you didn't turn it in, be sure to use a late-work voucher. Don't forget to make up your spelling quiz if you missed it. It is up to you to arrange the make up time and place with me.

Have a good weekend!

9/11/08

Today we typed the first draft of our character analyses. Homework tonight: have your parents read your draft and fill out the Parent Evaluation.

Parent Evaluation Sheet
Five Paragraph Character Analysis

Student Name________________________________

Parent Name_________________________________

Dear Parent,
We have been learning about the structure of the five paragraph essay in language arts. This is a structure that your student will follow again and again during his/her education. We have worked on this draft for several days in class, and we are now ready to fine tune the final draft. Please read this draft of your student’s five paragraph character analysis and check for the following requirements:

1. Is the paper double-spaced (no extra spaces) and typed in 12 pt. Times New Roman font? Yes or No
2. Does your student’s paper have five distinct paragraphs? (The first line of each paragraph should be indented; there shouldn’t be extra spaces between paragraphs.) Yes or No
3. Does the essay start with a hook? (A quote, scenario, question, description, etc. which draws the reader’s interest) Yes or No
4. Does the first paragraph introduce the character and the work the character is from? Yes or No
5. Does the first paragraph introduce three ideas (sub-topics) about the character? Yes or No
6. Does the first paragraph have 3-6 sentences? Yes or No
7. Is the second paragraph an explanation of the first idea (sub-topic) stated in the first paragraph? Yes or No
8. Does the second paragraph have examples from the book or movie to support that idea? Yes or No
9. Does the second paragraph have 6-8 sentences? Yes or No
10. Is the third paragraph an explanation of the second idea (sub-topic) stated in the first paragraph? Yes or No
11. Does the third paragraph have examples from the book or movie to support that idea? Yes or No
12. Does the third paragraph have 6-8 sentences? Yes or No
13. Is the fourth paragraph an explanation of the third idea (sub-topic) stated in the first paragraph? Yes or No
14. Does the fourth paragraph have examples from the book or movie to support that idea? Yes or No
15. Does the fourth paragraph have 6-8 sentences? Yes or No
16. Does the fifth paragraph summarize the paper? Yes or No
17. Does the fifth paragraph restate the thesis and three ideas (sub-topics)? Yes or No
18. Does the fifth paragraph include a final thought that ties back in to the opening hook? Yes or No
19. Is the fifth paragraph 3-5 sentences in length? Yes or No


You will be making changes to your first draft based on "no's" on your evaluation.

9/10/08

Today we talked about structure, hooks and transitions. We've learned the format of a five-paragraph essay. Now you get to practice what you've learned. Take a look at the following sections from a five-paragraph essay. There are ten sections that go together to create a structured essay. Since there are five paragraphs, we know that two sections go together to form each paragraph. I have placed these sections in a random order. See if you can arrange them in the correct order, based on what I have taught you about the introduction (hook, thesis, sub-topics), the body (three paragraphs, one for each sub-topic) and the conclusion (a summary, restating the thesis and wrapping up the main idea).

Hint: transition phrases often tell us where the paragraph goes in an essay. Also, each paragraph of the body will focus on one sub-topic. That means you should be able to identify which sections go together based on the main idea of the section.

A. The newer twin and quad theaters offer their own problems. Sitting in an area only one-quarter the size of a regular theater, moviegoers often have to put up with the sound of the movie next door. This is especially jarring when the other movie involves racing cars or a karate war and you are trying to enjoy a quiet love story. And whether the theater is old or new, it will have floors that seem to be coated with rubber cement. By the end of a movie, shoes almost have to be pried off the floor because they have become sealed to a deadly compound of spilled soda, hardening bubble gum, and crushed Ju-Jubes.

B. The problems in getting to the theater, the theater itself, and the behavior of some patrons are all reasons why I often wait for a movie to show up on TV.

C. Some of the patrons are even more of a problem than the theater itself. Little kids race up and down the aisles, usually in giggling packs. Teenagers try to impress their friends by talking back to the screen, whistling, and making what they consider to be hilarious noises.

D. Once you have made it to the box office and gotten your tickets, you are confronted with the problems of the theater itself. If you are in one of the run-down older theaters, you must adjust to the musty smell of seldom-cleaned carpets. Escaped springs lurk in the faded plush or cracked leather seats, and half the seats you sit in seem loose or tilted so that you sit at a strange angle.

E. I am a movie fanatic. When friends want to know what picture won the Oscar in 1980 or who played the police chief in Jaws, they ask me. My friends, though, have stopped asking me if I want to go out to the movies.

F. After arriving home from the movies one night, I decided that I was not going to be a moviegoer anymore. I was tired of the problems involved in getting to the movies and dealing with the theater itself and some of the patrons.

G. And then there are the lines. After hooking yourself to the end of a human chain, you worry about whether there will be enough tickets, whether you will get seats together, and whether many people will sneak into the line ahead of you.

H. First of all, just getting to the theater presents difficulties. Leaving a home equipped with a TV and a video recorder isn't an attractive idea on a humid, cold, or rainy night. Even if the weather cooperates, there is still a thirty-minute drive to the theater down a congested highway, followed by the hassle of looking for a parking space.

I. The next day I arranged to have cable TV service installed in my home. I may now see movies a bit later than other people, but I'll be more relaxed watching box office hits in the comfort of my own living room.

J. Adults act as if they were at home in their own living rooms and comment loudly on the ages of the stars or why movies aren't as good anymore. And people of all ages crinkle candy wrappers, stick gum on their seats, and drop popcorn tubs or cups of crushed ice and soda on the floor. They also cough and burp, squirm endlessly in their seats, file out for repeated trips to the rest rooms or concession stand, and elbow you out of the armrest on either side of your seat.


Figure out the correct order, then click here to check your work.

Did you get it right? Did you catch on to the transitions? Could you recognize the thesis? Did you figure out the order of sub-topics based on how they were presented in the introductory paragraph?

I hope you noticed how the transition words and phrases helped the flow of this essay. We have phrases like "First of all", "And then", "even more of a problem than". These phrases help the reader to move from one sub-topic to another. Notice that two of the paragraphs in the body begin with a brief mention of the topic of the previous paragraph along with an introduction of the topic for the new paragraph. This is a great way to move the essay along nicely.

I will be looking for transition words and phrases in your five-paragraph character analysis. I will also be looking for a good hook. Here is an example of an introduction without a hook:

I am writing a character analysis about Dallas Winston from The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton. Dally was the toughest member of the gang. He had a hard life from growing up in gangs in New York City. Dally became hard through his experiences.

Did you notice how I started with the phrase, "I am writing a character analysis about . . ."? Don't do that. Ever. Never include any phrase that contain the words "I am writing" in any essay. I know you're writing. I have evidence of your writing when you hand me a paper with your name at the top and words on the front. Instead, start with something that will grab my (the reader's) attention. Here is an example of a introductory paragraph with a hook:

His dead body slumped into a crumpled pile on the street as bullets tore into his flesh. It was clearly suicide, but what drove him to such a desperate solution? The death of the only person or thing he ever loved. Dallas Winston, from The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton, became harden through a life filled with crime, violence, and hatred. Dally’s hard life drove him to a tragic death.

The hook draws the reader in by describing a quick scenario involving the character and asking a related question to get the reader thinking about the character. It works. Do your best to start your introductory paragraph with a hook.

We'll be in the computer lab typing up our first drafts tomorrow. Don't forget to bring your draft and notes with you.

Have a happy day!

9/9/08

Today we wrote our spelling words five times each in our journals. Remember, we are having a quiz on Friday.

Next we continued our work on our first draft of the five paragraph character analysis. We used our worksheets to remind us of the details we want to include about our characters. This is the exact structure you should follow:

Structure of a five paragraph character analysis essay

1. Introduction
• Hook—grab the reader’s attention with a quote, scenario, question, vivid description or conflict associated with your character. 1-2 sentences
• Thesis statement—character’s name, the book (or movie) he/she is from and the author. 1 sentence
• Three sub-topics. Choose three character traits to focus on. Briefly state the three traits you will talk about in your essay. 1-3 sentences

2. Paragraph 2
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your first sub-topic
• Write a paragraph about it
• Use examples from the book or movie to support your ideas
• Write 6-8 sentences

3. Paragraph 3
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your second sub-topic
• Write a paragraph about it
• Use examples from the book or movie to support your ideas
• Write 6-8 sentences

4. Paragraph 4
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your third sub-topic
• Write a paragraph about it
• Use examples from the book or movie to support your ideas
• Write 6-8 sentences

5. Conclusion
• Summarize—restate your thesis statement and three sub-topics in different words
• Make a closing statement. Tie your closing statement back to your opening hook.
• 3-5 sentences


We spent the rest of class finishing the first draft of the essay. As you can see, I am requiring a certain number of sentences in each paragraph. Please count your sentences in each paragraph to see if your draft meets the requirements. If you don't have enough sentences, you will need to add more examples or details until you have the right number of sentences. Please write good, 8th grader length sentences (Please no three-word sentences--let's shoot for eight or more words in our sentences.)

I will check drafts tomorrow at the beginning of class.

9/8/08

We started our day writing this week's spelling words in our planners. See the right side bar for the spelling list. We will have a quiz on these words on Friday. Also on Friday's quiz--a few questions about our POSOFT (part of speech of the week). This week it is the noun. The two kinds of nouns we discussed today are concrete nouns and abstract nouns. See the side bar to the right for a mini-lesson on nouns.

After spelling, we read and put words in our glossaries.

We continued with our work on our five paragraph character analysis today. We talked specifically about the required information in the first paragraph.

1. Introduction
• Hook—grab the reader’s attention with a quote, scenario, question, vivid description or conflict associated with your character. 1-2 sentences
• Thesis statement—character’s name, the book (or movie) he/she is from and the author. 1 sentence
• Three sub-topics. Choose three character traits to focus on. Briefly state the three traits you will talk about in your essay. 1-3 sentences

Your first paragraph should be 3-6 sentences.

Things to consider:
• Do not use phrases like “I am writing about . . .”, “This essay is about . . .”, “My character is . . .”
• Do not restate the assignment in any way
• A great hook in the beginning will make the rest of your essay more interesting.
• Choose your three sub-topics wisely—you’ll be writing a paragraph about each of them in the body of your paper.

You should have completed a draft of your introductory paragraph by the end of class.

9/5/08

Today was a reading/glossary day. You should have at least three words in your glossary.

After reading time, we started a new writing project. We learned earlier this week about the importance of having good characters in any plot. We are going to look more closely at a specific character of your choice as we complete a character analysis essay.

Today we worked on the pre-writing for this essay. First we brainstormed about the characters we could choose. Then we answered the questions on this worksheet:

Name______________________ Class period_____________

Character analysis worksheet

To analyze something means to break it down into parts in order to understand how it works. When you analyze a character, you examine what the character says, does, and thinks in order to gain an overall understanding or insight into him or her.

Choose a character we have read about in class or in your individual reading. Answer the following questions about your character. You will be writing a 5-paragraph character analysis on your character during the next few days in this class, so include as much detail as possible in order to have enough material. Use the rubric below when considering which details to include. Remember, choose your character carefully. The more interesting the character, the more you’ll have to write about.

Character_______________________________ from ___________________________.

What does your character look like?


How does your character behave?


What is important to your character?


What does your character think?


How do other people in the story respond to your character?


What is the character’s conflict?


What it the most interesting/exciting thing about your character?
RUBRIC:
A good character analysis:
• Uses an attention-getting opener
• Identifies the character, the work, and the writer
• Includes a thesis statement
• Cites specific details that support the thesis
• Is organized clearly
• Summarizes the main idea in its conclusion

We will continue with the five steps of the writing process as we work on this assignment.

9/4/08

We finished reading "The Landlady" today. Here is the plot map we came up with as a class:

click on image to enlarge

Your homework is to make your own map of a plot you know well. You can use a plot from a book, story, fairy tale, television show or movie. Include the basic situation, at least six conflicts, events or examples of foreshadowing for the rising action, the climax and the resolution. Follow a line like this:


This homework is due on Friday.

9/3/08

Today we had a short day because of late start.

For the first 15 minutes of class we read silently and added words to our glossaries.

For the remainder of the class period, we continued with "The Landlady," by Roald Dahl. We are following the progression of the plot on a plot map. So far this is what we've come up with:

click on image to enlarge

We will finish this story tomorrow in class. You will then get the chance to make your own plot map on a story of your choice. Be thinking about a story you know well for this assignment. I'll give the details during class tomorrow.

9/2/08

Welcome back after the long weekend. I hope everyone had a relaxing holiday.

Today we talked about the elements of a plot. Click here to view a good powerpoint presentation about literary elements. You will need to know these terms from the powerpoint presentation:

characters
protagonist
antagonist
setting
conflict
man v. man
man v. nature
man v. society
man v. machine
man v. self
external conflict (man, nature, society and machine)
internal conflict (self)
foreshadowing
climax
point of view

You will also need to know how these elements fit together when mapping out a plot.


We started reading "The Landlady," by Roald Dahl. We will be looking for all of these literary elements as we read the story. We read the first page today. You will have a few minutes to catch up on what you missed during class tomorrow.

If you have any questions for me, I'm happy to answer.

8/29/08

Glossary

During reading time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, you will be required to enter a word you your glossary. A glossary is a collection of vocabulary words and definitions found in the back of technical books. Your glossary will be a collection of words and definitions you find from the books you will read during reading time. I would like you to keep a glossary in the back few pages on your journal. Your glossary should be a chart with these headings: date, word, book page #, definition. As you read, look for words that may be unfamiliar, interesting, fun to say, or just plain curious. When you find a word you'd like to add to your glossary list, record the date, the word, the book and page number where you found your word, and a definition of the word in your own words.

This is not a dictionary activity. I repeat, this is not a dictionary activity. That means, don't use a dictionary to find your definitions. You will find your definitions right there in the book you are reading. Look for context clues (clues in the text of your book), first in the sentence the word is part of, then in the sentences before and after that sentence. Sometimes the context clues come through an entire chapter. I promise there are clues in every book you read to help you understand the words in the book.

Here is an example from Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer. On page 77 it says, "Finally the curiosity I'd suppressed so long got the best of me." The word suppressed might be an unfamiliar or interesting word to you. So let's look at the sentence to see if we can figure out what it means based on how it is used. Clue #1: curiosity. We know what curiosity is. It means an inquisitive state of being. She wants to know something, and she wants to know it bad. Clue #2: got the best of me. We know that means it won the contest, took over, or overcame. Clue #3: finally. We understand that to mean that it was a long time before the curiosity took over. That means she was able to hold back her curiosity for some time. So now we're ready to guess based on our clues. What does suppressed mean? It must mean to hold back. So for your definition, you would write "hold back" or some similar phrase.

It's just that easy.

This is a skill that you will use again and again. If you are able to use context clues properly, it will help you to be a life-long learner. Plus it makes school a whole lot easier.

You will turn your glossary in at mid-term and at final. I expect at least one word for every reading period we have. That means by the time the trimester is over, you should have about 36 words in your glossary. Each entry is worth 3 points. Make sure to keep up with your glossary every time we read so you won't have to make it up at the end.

We spent the remainder of the class period reading our personal books.

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

8/28/08

Today was a journal day. If you were absent today, you should make up your journal by writing a half page about a topic of your choice.

After journals we talked more about the writing process. So far, we have explored prewriting, drafting, and we just started doing some revising. Today we revised some more. You assignment was to choose a sentence in your paragraph to rework. I asked you to change your verb in your sentence to an active verb. An active verb is a verb that has a built in adverb (a word that modifies a verb). For example, jump is a verb that covers a broad range of activities. We can use a more specific word than jump--hop, leap, pounce, bound, vault, bolt, spring, hurdle . . . Each of these words show us how someone jumped. A hop is a different kind of jump than a hurdle. There is a built-in description of how the jump was performed. So find a great active verb, and replace your boring old verb.

Next, add an adjective. An adjective is a word that describes a noun. So, you should find the main noun in your sentence. Once you've found it, think about words you could use to describe that noun--color, shape, size, mood, state of being . . . Insert that word before your noun.

Next, add an adverb. Now that we have a great verb, we should say how that verb is being performed. Adverbs often end in "ly". Did your horse hop lazily? Or did he madly bound? Add the adverb before or after the verb.

Now we're going to add a prepositional phrase. A preposition is a word that relates another word to a noun or a pronoun in the sentence. A phrase is a group of words in a sentence that adds meaning or clarifies something. Our prepositional phrase is going to tell us either where or when the action happened. In the field, around the corner, after his midnight snack, behind his left ear . . . Choose a great preposition phrase to clarify the action.

After you have reworked your sentence, it is time to proofread your paper. This is the editing step in the writing process. You want to make sure you've spelled all your words correctly, that you have correct punctuation and capitalization, that you have good grammar.

Now we're ready to pull it all together for the final draft. Rewrite your paragraph. It should be 5-7 sentences long. Your sentences should be anywhere from 8-20 words long. I want your very best writing. I want it to be neat. I want an indent on the first line. I want periods at the ends of sentences. I want descriptive language. Give me a good, polished paragraph.

I would like you to staple all your papers in this order, from top to bottom: colored picture, interview notes, 1st draft, final draft. Make sure your name is clearly displayed on your paper.

Congratulations! You've finished your first writing assignment in Mrs. Cheney's language arts class! You're well on your way to learning the writing process. This is a tool that can help you throughout your life. Way to go!

8/27/08

Today we are taking a reading inventory. Click here and follow the directions. After you have finished your inventory, click on your reading grade level to find books written on your level.

After completing the inventory, we are heading to the library for a chat with Mrs. Wouden and a chance to check out a book.

8/26/08

Here's what we did today:

Journals
There is a specific format I would like to you follow when making journal entries. I would like to you write the date at the top of the entry. On the very next line you should respond to the prompt on the white board. To receive full credit, you should write from margin to margin (the red lines on the sides of the paper) from the first hole to the second hole. This is one half of the page. I require a half page entry for all prompts. You may start the next entry at the half-way mark (the second hole) of the paper. If you have written more than a half page on the previous entry, turn the page and start your next entry at the top of the paper. You may write on the fronts and backs of your paper. If a journal entry I require is shorter than a half page (DLAs), you should skip to the half-way mark to start your next entry. I only want entries to start at the tops and middles of your paper.

If you are absent on a journal day (Tuesdays and Thursdays), you should make up the journal entry by writing a half page about any topic you choose. Journal entries will be worth five points each. That means 24 entries will be worth 120 by the time we finish the trimester. Please keep up with your journal entries. It is far easier to keep up than to catch up.

Tuesday Teaser
I read a Tuesday Teaser from No More Dead Dogs by Gordan Korman today. I will be reading a few pages from books of different genres most Tuesdays. Your job is to listen and consider whether you'd enjoy trying a book from that genre.

The Writing Process
We continued our work with our writing assignment, following the steps of The Writing Process. We finished our prewriting yesterday, so today we progressed to the second step--drafting. Drafting is organizing your ideas into sentences and paragraphs. The first draft is not supposed to be perfect. It is supposed to be something you will rework to make better. We we draft, the best thing to do is to write as many of your ideas as you can into sentences as quickly as you can. When all your sentences are written, it is time to move on to the next step--revising.

To revise, you should look closely at what you have written and make changes to your draft to make it better. Look at the ideas. Do they flow, one to another? Do your sentences make sense? Do you need to add details to clarify your ideas? To you need to take out some unnecessary details? These are the questions you should ask yourself during the revision step of The Writing Process.

Today we traded our paragraphs with our partners, and we helped each other revise. The job of the partner was to write some notes on the paragraph to help the writer improve his/her work. We had enough time to read each others' paragraphs, but we didn't have enough time to finish the revision step of The Writing Process. We will continue with this project on Thursday.

Coming Attraction
Tomorrow we will be in the computer lab doing reading inventories. We will also have some time in the library for checking out a good reading book. We will probably have some time to read tomorrow. Our regular reading time will begin the first fifteen minutes of class on Friday.

Thanks for another great day!

First day of school!!!

Welcome to language arts with Mrs. Cheney. Today we discussed rules and the disclosure document. If you were not here, you will need to get a disclosure document from me to take home to your parents to sign. Bring it back tomorrow for 5 points.

We also started a writing activity. We interviewed partners to find interesting experiences they have had. We will be writing a paragraph about our partners in class tomorrow. We will follow the writing process for all writing activities. Today we finished the prewriting step of the writing process.

I'm excited to get to know all of you. I love teaching and I'm happy to be your teacher.

For bonus points: The first student from each class period to tell me the first step of the writing process will earn 5 extra credit points.

Last Day of School Internet Activity

Follow the directions in this post. You will turn in your Word document at the end of class. This is supposed to be fun, so don't get too bogged down by the details, but please make an attempt to do everything the scavenger hunt asks you to do.

1. Open Microsoft Word. Put your name at the top of the document, then number 1-10 down the left side of the page.

2. Click here.

3. Watch at least four commercials. Tell which commercials you watched, which one was your favorite, and why you liked it for answer #1 in your Word document.

4. Find a picture of the summer toy you'd most like to own. Assume money is not an issue. Copy and paste the picture and an approximate cost of the toy for answer #2 in your Word document.

5. For answer #3 on your Word document, write a top 5 list of your favorite actors and/or musicians. (If you don't have favorites, just choose 5 famous people--we will be using this list for the next several questions).

6. Look up the third person on your list here.

7. Write the person's name, birthday, and one interesting fact your learned for your answer to #4.

8. Find a picture of the second person on your list.

9. Copy and paste your picture into your Word document for answer #5.

10. Find your favorite movie here.

11. Copy and paste a picture from this website for answer #6 in your Word doc.

12. What is your favorite song? Listen to it now. (This is a good place to look)

13. Write your favorite song and the performing artist for answer #7 in your Word document.

14. Time to shop! Find an outfit complete with accessories for a fun summer-time party with your friends.

15. Copy and paste pictures and prices of each item for answer #8 in your Word document.

16. Time to go to a baseball game. Find an internet site devoted to any baseball team or their home stadium.

17. Type the web address and paste one picture from the site for answer #9 in your Word document.

18. How about a summer-time concert? Find a concert you'd like to go this summer. It can be anywhere in the world!

19. Give the date, time, city, venue, and ticket price for answer #10 in your Word document. Also type the name of the person you would like to go to this concert with.

20. Print up your Word document and turn it in as your last day of school activity.

Have a fun summer!

4/8-11/08 8th

This week we have been working on a persuasive paper.

Organizing the Persuasive Essay

Step 1: Choose a topic
• Your topic should be an issue that has two opposing views.
• You must have an opinion on this topic.
• Consider your feelings and opinions before you write.
• Consider what evidence and examples you have.

Step 2: Determine Your Purpose
• Decide on your purpose: What will you convince the readers to believe or to do?
• Do not start writing until you have a clear purpose.
• Your purpose determines your thesis statement.

Step 3: Remember Your Audience
• The topic will tell you who the intended audience is (usually some formal group of adults: school board, administration, etc.)
• Keep this audience in mind as you write. (You don’t have to address them by name.)
• Present your arguments in a way that will impress this audience.
• Name calling and angry tirades won’t work.

Step 4: Opening Paragraph—Capture Attention
• The first sentence(s) in your essay should capture attention.
• Your attention-getter must relate to the topic in some way.
• Ways to capture attention:
1. Startling situation or statistic
2. intriguing question
3. Powerful description

Some Way NOT to Begin:
• I am going to tell you about . . .
• Once upon a time . . .
• This is an essay about . . .
• The assignment says I have to write about . . .
• My first main idea is . . .

Step 5: Opening Paragraph—Clearly State Your Thesis
• Thesis = a complete sentence that gives your opinion regarding the issue and what you think should be done.
• A good thesis is short and clear.
• The thesis is what the rest of your paper will prove.
• Example: We should get rid of the candy machines in the schools.
Step 6: Opening Paragraph—Main Points
• After stating your thesis, briefly and clearly mention your three main arguments.
• There should be no question about what you will prove in your essay.
• Example: We should get rid of the vending machines in schools. They contribute to health problems, they cause messes, and they do not earn much money for the school.

Step 7: Opening Paragraph Conclusion/Transition Statement
• At the end of your first paragraph, make a statement the either moves the reader smoothly into the next paragraph or restates your thesis in different words.
• Example: Clearly, vending machines do more harm than good.

Step 8: Second Paragraph—Topic Sentence
• Begin the second paragraph with a topic sentence that clearly states your first main point.
• Example: To begin with, vending machines in schools contribute to health problems for students.

Step 9: Second Paragraph—Specific Supporting Examples
• Support your topic sentence with specific (not general) examples and details.
• Include explanations about how your examples support the topic sentence.
• Address the opposing argument: Explain why it is wrong or why your idea is better.
• Example: Some people argue that kids will get pop and candy anyway, so there is nothing wrong with having the machines in schools, but this goes against the spirit of education. Schools are supposed to help kids stay healthy, not provide them with products that may cause them harm.

Step 10: Transitions
• At the end of the second paragraph or the beginning of the third paragraph, include a transition sentence.
• Example: Not only do vending machines contribute to health problems, but they also create other problems in our school.

Common Transition Words:
• First
• Furthermore
• Another
• Besides
• Although
• Consequently,
• Additionally,
• Next,
• In addition to
• Instead of
• Rather than
• Similarly,
• Therefore
• On the other hand,
• However,
• Finally,

Step 11: Third Paragraph Topic Sentence
• The topic sentence that clearly states your second main point should either be at the very beginning of the paragraph or immediately after your transition statement.
• Example: Vending machines create a lot of litter.

Step 12: Third Paragraph Specific Supporting Examples
• Support your topic sentence with specific (not general) examples and details.
• Include explanations about how your examples support the topic sentence.
• Address the opposing argument: Explain why it is wrong or why your idea is better.
• Example: Many people believe that litter in schools is not a problem. They say, “That’s why we have janitors!” Not only is this incredibly arrogant, but it doesn’t address the fact that the presence of vending machines makes our school look bad.

Step 13: Transition
• At the end of the third paragraph or the beginning of the fourth paragraph, include a transition sentence.
• Example: Some people might overlook the mess because they believe the vending machines bring lots of money to the school, but this is not the case.

Step 14: Fourth Paragraph—Topic Sentence
• The topic sentence that clearly states your third main point should either be at the very beginning of the paragraph or immediately after your transition statement.
• Example: Contrary to popular opinion, the vending machines do not bring in that much extra money.

Step 15: Fourth Paragraph—Specific Supporting Examples
• Support your topic sentence with specific (not general) examples and details.
• Include explanations about how your examples support the topic sentence.
• Address the opposing argument: Explain why it is wrong or why your idea is better.
• Example: The argument that the schools need the money brought in by vending machines is misleading. The amount the machines bring in is such a small part of the total school budget that the money would not be missed.

Step 16: Fourth Paragraph Conclusion Sentence
• End your fourth paragraph with a sentence that concludes your third main point.
• Example: There is no doubt that the school needs more money for programs and supplies, but there are better ways to get the money than by poisoning our students with junk food.

Step 17: Closing paragraph—Restate Your Thesis
• Begin your final paragraph with a concluding phrase and then restate your thesis.
• Don’t use the exact same wording you did in the opening paragraph.
• Example: As you can see, the disadvantages of vending machines far outweigh the advantages, and we should therefore remove them from our schools.

Common Concluding Phrases:
• In conclusion
• As you can see
• To summarize
• It is clear that
• Obviously
• For these reasons
• As I said
• Clearly

Step 18: Closing Paragraph—Restate Your Main Points
• Restate the main points in different words than you used in the opening paragraph.
• Example: Because vending machines are hazardous to students’ health and make the schools look bad, they are not worth the small amount of extra money they bring in.

Step 19: Closing Paragraph Clincher: Powerful Closing
• Conclude your paper with a powerful and memorable final sentence (“clincher”).
• You may refer back to the opening of your paper if you used a good example to capture attention.
• You may end with an intriguing question or a provocative idea.
• Leave the reader thinking!

Step 20: Avoid These Phrases:
• I am going to tell you about . . .
• This is where I talk about . . .
• In this paragraph, I will . . . .

You now have everything you need to organize an excellent essay. You just have to come up with the ideas!