December 21

Well let's see. Today we wrote the test for chapters 8-16. This can be rewritten after Christmas if necessary. We also signed out the novel for Christmas reading "Things Fall Apart". Make sure you check the website for the work associated with this book. Work will be posted after Christmas. We had some time to work on the lynching paragraph that was started yesterday. It must come in tomorrow if it did not come in today. Also the Aunt Alexandra/social order sheet is now over due. It is on the website but the reading is not. It was also record sheet day today, so get yours done tomorrow if possible. Finally, the 2 Christmas assignments were handed out. One is the Scout and Atticus sheet and the other is the theme sheet. Do both of these before you come back in January. Remember, there will be a quiz and an exam very soon after you come back in January.

Yesterday, we read chapter 15 and some notes about the Jim Crow Laws and some stories involving lynching in the south. Your task was to make notes from articles on the graphic organizer and then turn these notes into a summary and an opinion paragraph. The graphic organizer is not on the website but the other assignment and notes are. Just make your own notes and summarize the information if you don't have an organizer.

I hope you all have a safe and merry Christmas.

December 19

Today we read about Southern society and some of the "rules". These we tried to apply to the Finchs and Aunt Alexandra. We read chapter 13 and completed a worksheet from the notes. The notes can not be put on the website so if you were absent, you will have to catch up on this later. Read chapter 14 for tomorrow. Remember the test on Thursday.

December 18

Today we covered chapters 10 and 11 and the various visions of courage and the 'mockingbird' theme. Remember the symbols for blindness, madness/disease etc. Please read to the end of Ch 13 by tomorrow. Interims have gone out. Please get them signed and returned tomorrow and/or have a parent email me. Reminder of the quiz on Thursday for chapters 8-16 or 17. Thursday is also re-do day for the first mockingbird test. Get your wanted poster and fact finder in if you haven't already done so.

December 15

Today we finished the movie and sprinted through the first 8 chapters of the novel. We discussed some major symbols and themes such as the fire, blindness, education, justice, tradition and family, the differenced between appearance and reality and the function of some of the characters. Miss Maudie is an adult confident for the children as is Uncle Jack. Alexandra represents the past and tradition. The Ewells are white trash, Little Chuck Little is the gallant Southern gentleman stereotype and the Cunninghams are the noble poor. Read to the end of part 1 for Monday. (or further) Complete your wanted poster and fact finder if you haven't already done so.

December 14

Today we did the Chapter 1-7 test. We watched some more of the movie. Please read to the end of chapter 9 for tomorrow. Also hand in your fact finder unless it is on the back of the wanted poster. The wanted poster is due on Monday. I am also missing some research project sheets. Keep reading.

December 13

Ok, so things change! What can I say? We are running out of time. To whit, the assignments that were due later are due sooner, namely the fact file is due tomorrow, and the wanted poster will now be due Monday. Did I really say Monday? Oh well. Keep reading! Test tomorrow on Chapters 1-7. It is just names of characters etc. and information about them. If you are up to date on your reading, you will have no problems. If you are behind on your reading, get caught up!!! There are additional questions on the website and additional activities for Mockingbird. These are primarily for the 2 students away right now but anyone can do them for bonus. Look for these to be moved shortly to their own page on the website. Take care, and happy reading. Hi Cranky toad.

December 12

Today we quickly added up the marks for the poetry final exam. Then we continued watching the movie of To Kill a Mockingbird. You are supposed to have read to the end of chapter 6 by tomorrow. Also an assignment of a wanted poster about Boo Radley was given out and is due on Thursday. The assignment on the back of that page will be due on Friday. Don't forget Thursday is quiz day and quiz redo day (the last one for poetry!!) Happy reading.

December 11

Today we got back to normal after a couple of days. So, we marked part of the poetry unit final exam. Then work was handed out and so were new interim reports. The deadline for poetry was today. We will allow people to rewrite poetry quizes this Thursday. We will be having a Mockingbird quiz on Thursday too. After this, we heard some of the oral reports from the research projects that were due today and finally we started to watch the movie of To Kill a Mockingbird. Tomorrow we will finish the movie and hear some more reports. Make sure they are all finished.

Dec 6

Today we went to the library and began a quick research project on civil rights and racism in the American South. Everyone had to choose a different topic. The format of the assignment is very specific so read it carefully. We will go the library again on Friday to finish. Good copy is due Monday. Tomorrow is the poetry unit final exam.

Dec 5

It was record sheet. We also did our inclass essay on The watchers. Start reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Also Wednesday this week is quiz redo day. Thursday is the poetry unit final exam.

December 4

Today we signed out the new novel "To Kill a Mockingbird". You must bring this with you to class every day. Start reading it now!!! We will not be doing all of it in class time. We also worked on preparing the inclass essay for tomorrow. Your poem is "The Watchers". You must have this TPCASTT analysis prepared in point form ready to go tomorrow. Download a copy if you were absent on Thursday and today. Poetry rewrites are Wednesday this week only. Final Poetry Unit Exam is on Thursday. Study now! There will be definitions of terms, identification of fig. speech and poetic styles and some interpretation.