Noun Jobs!

Holy Moly!

Students hated the HW last night!

"Mr. Tidyman, the HW last night was ridiculous! I can totes find gerunds in sentences...

But labeling them? Like, ew! No! You didn't prep us for this!!"

Correct, Generic Student Voice. Sometimes I just like to throw you into deep water.

Before we checked the answers to last night's HW, we took notes (in the Notes Composition Notebook) on the Noun Jobs:

"Ohhhhhhh snap! He did it again! He embedded a whole file!"

Here's a link to download the file, if you want:

Now, if you know my 3rd period class, you know that they're an interesting, creative, and vocal bunch (though NO ONE is as vocal as 6th). The ladies and gentlemen of 3rd period insisted I give a further example that demonstrates how a gerund phrase is allowed to operate as an indirect object. I asked for a sample gerund, and I got "sipping." This example was born:

I guess kids just love Muppets? Kermit is the Subject.

Now that we'd taken a nice healthy chunk of time to look real hard at grammar, we checked out the answers to the document from yesterday:

Click to enlarge.

You should admit it: This is a good blog post.

You know it is. Look at all this media. Dang.

Discussing Prejudice; Underlining Gerunds

Students collected themselves into groups today to analyze prejudice, both in The Sneetches, and as they understand it in life.

Here is the document:

Wow, I am really not very good at embedding documents.

Here's a link to it. Yeah, I took it up, so I'll need it from you if you missed Monday.

We also checked out the Gerund HW to make sure we all had appropriate underlines.

The Key:

Click on it to see the full document.

Most of the class was devoted to the discussion of Prejudice. Why are human beings so eager to draw lines of separation through groups? *sigh* If you want to know, start studying sociology.

Oh, before the kids left, I assigned them a follow-up Gerund practice.

It's a little harder: first, you underline, then you label.

I Have a Star, and Therefore I Am Better Than You

Today, students approached a deeper understanding of one of TKAM's principle themes:

Prejudice

But as you know, we haven't begun the book yet. So, we took a look at another lauded piece of literature that focuses on the same theme:

The Sneetches

by Dr. Seuss

omg you don't have a star on your belly? gross get away from me

The above link will take you to the video we watched. This is a link to the full text of the book.

While we watched the cartoon short, students noted answers to questions on this sheet.

Also, there was a Gerund Practice for HW.

Here is the Gerund Practice. It's due Mon., we'll check it in class.

TKAM: Author's Bio Info

First, students checked out their answers to the Participle Practice from Tuesday (or yesterday.)

The answers are all right here, if you'd like to check your work:

Here's the HW Key

Then, students did some reading, annotating, and responding, to this small packet of information about Harper Lee, the author of TKAM.

Here is the TKAM info on Harper Lee

I think it's fair to expect that the questions should all be answered by tomorrow.

PSAT Day

Today, high schoolers took the PSAT. (Not Seniors, though, I heard they went to the zoo.)

Here's what my classes told me about the test:

• Dolphins
• The Grand Canyon
• Young Sensei is dropping his All Haiku Everything mixtape sometime next month (thanks, 6th period, for this level of creative detail)

For tomorrow, students need to have completed the Grammar Practice on Participles and Participial Phrases, so we can check it tomorrow.

Membean Numbers

This document explains how Membean will count for grades (the studying & the quizzes) in my class.

Don't have word? Here's a .pdf. file.

This is on you guys now. I will try to provide time to study when I can, but much of this Vocabulary interaction will be self-directed.

Membean Registration

First, click on this:

membean.com/enroll

Then, when it asks you for a class code, put in the correct one of these:

Yes, that's my real handwriting, stop laughing.

Then make your account (Choose the option that says "No, I need to make a new account.")

Put in your name, you grade, your email address.

Do additional things.

Success. Logout.

PSAT tomorrow.

Membean Vocabulary: Payments

Membean:

Here is a link to the Online Payment page

on the MLK site!

Or, you can bring me a check for $10, made out to MLK Magnet.

Or, you can bring me $10 cash.

10/3/14