Homophones, S.T.E.A.L., and a Tripod Survey (5th)

5th period students completed a district-mandated survey during class time. So everything you read below doesn't apply to them, until I see them tomorrow. If you're a student from 5th period, reading this to get a drop on tomorrow, I commend you thoroughly.

Classes today:
Due to a surprising number of basic errors committed on the recent IKWCBS reading quizzes, all classes responded to a quick grammatical review of the There/They're/Their suite of homophones. Of course, I shared a Powerpoint to quickly review the rules & uses of these three troublesome words.

• Here's the .ppt review file!
• Here's the in-class practice!
• And here's the answer key! (Ask me if you have any questions about the answers. But seriously. It's straightforward. And see the notes in the .ppt above.)

Students then got back into their groups to complete their S.T.E.A.L. indirect characterization charts that they began yesterday. If you are/were in a group that was focusing on Vivian, Maya and Bailey's Mother, I recognize that she hasn't actually spoken a word by the end of Ch. 10. But you're not off the hook. You must still complete the Speech row, with information from tonight's assigned chapters.

While students worked towards completing this, I rotated around to different groups giving back RQs and answering questions.

HW For Tonight: (Remember, this doesn't apply to 5th period)

• Read IKWCBS Ch. 11-15 (to end of 15)
• Full disclosure: You're going to read about some very upsetting events that take place in St. Louis. Please don't think that the whole book is about this, or that the point of this autobiography is this, and this alone. It's not. It's about Maya's healing, renewal, and eventual triumph over this passage.
• Bring your finished S.T.E.A.L. sheet to class tomorrow.