Period 8 Results Are In!

Wow - another bunch of great speeches!  This was probably the closest race yet!  We have three winners:

Helene

Ashleigh and Kailey

Anna S.

CLOSE RUNNERS-UP are Ethan VW. and Emma K!

Honorable Mention goes to Hannah BM, Rob, Ben, and Tristan and Ryan!

Homework

Grammar: Clauses (Notes)

Here are some definitions that you need to know to complete the homework:

Phrase:  a group of words that act like a single thing, and doesn't have a subject or verb.  There are many different kinds of phrases, (appositive phrases, gerund phrases, participial phrases, infinitive phrases) but you only know of one: a prepositional phrase.

Clause: A group of words that have both a subject and a verb.

Independent Clause: a clause that is a complete thought on its own; it doesn't need another clause to make sense.

Dependent Clause: A clause that is NOT a complete thought on its own - it needs another clause to make sense!  (It's usually one word that makes the clause dependent - like "because" or "since")

PLEASE NOTE: , +FANBOYS are never included in clauses.  They are the only words that aren't.  They act as joiners of two independent clauses.

PLEASE NOTE: You can have phrases inside of clauses!

Homework: Do both sides of the worksheet, due Monday.

POD FINALS are Weds, April 11th!

Period 1 Winners

Wow - another VERY close race!

So, first off, congratulations to the THREE class winners:

Justin (Reform Our Public Schools)

Tyler W. (Ban Plastic Bags)

Kendra (Do More to Prevent Teen Smoking)

Runner-up: Joe B. (Grant Apes Personhood)

Honorable Mentions: Aly, Maddie, Riley, Sarah, Corinne, and Erin!

Fanboys

COMMA+FANBOYS

To combine two independent clauses, put a comma (,) and a FANBOY between them.   This is called a COMPOUND SENTENCE! Be careful:  If you forget to have both the comma and the FANBOY, it will be a run-on!

F:  for

A:  and

N:  nor

B:  but

O:  or

Y:  yet

S:   so

Now try this...

After Speeches: What's Next?

This Friday, we have a couple of speeches to finish off, then we will take a brief grammar interlude to talk about clauses: independent and dependent clauses, to be exact!  Here is a lame video that briefly discusses the matter...I think I could make a much better video whenever I have the time...maybe I will.



Anyways, I have some homework for you...yeah, I know, "homework on the weekend?!"  Come-on kids, you've been listening to speeches all week...get over it.

Homework:  Finish exercises ....

7th Period FInalists

Whoo!  This was the closest competition yet!

Two finalists:

Tyler (Reforming Standardized Testing)

Jack and Hailey (Stop Childhood Obeisity)

Honorable Mentions go to: Dom, Tim, Joey W., Joe A., Alexis and Emma, and Steph and Keala!  Well-done, all!

Period 4 Persuasive Speech Finalists

Congratulations to Branden (Reform No Child Left Behind) and Maddie (Banning Pesticides)!  They will represent your class against the rest of the pod!

SUPER-CLOSE Runner-up was Chelsea (Reform the Death Penalty)

Honorable Mentions go to Scott, Ari, and Seth, who all scored very highly!  I'm very proud of all of you - job well done!

Period 3 Winners Chosen!

It was a close race, and a job well-done by all members of period three, but we do have two winning representatives!

Julia with the topic of Banning the Ownership of Exotic Animals

and 

Sydney with Legalizing Same-Sex Marriages

with a close runner-up of John with Reelecting President Obama

Congratulations!

Tuesday's Persuasive Speackers (Block Day)

Period 4:

Hanna and Kiana, Matt R., Alex and Nick, Jameson and Zach, Lara, Brandon, Corinne and Jocelyn.

Period 1:

Tyler, Billy, Ashley, Danny, Ian, Ian, Sarah, Kyle, Kendra, Sammy, Ben, and Edyn.

Period 3: 

Drew, Bryce, Isabella, Ethan, Sydney, Jess, Sarah M., Julia, Mark, Payton, Valerie

Voting Forms

Period 1

Period 3

Period 4

Period 7

Period 8

The Order for Monday

Book Fair

Along with practicing, we do have the last day of the book fair on Friday, so we will be taking a brief trip to the library.  If you have money you wish to bring, bring it!

Tomorrow is your last day to practice!

Tomorrow is the last day to practice!!  Make sure that you have used the podium at least once, and you know how you are going to use your visuals.


By the end of class on Friday, you need to have filled out your practice sheet, and will be passing it in.  You will also receive the list of students who will present on Monday.

Practicing Your Speech

Well, hello folks!

The day I was at the conference, you not only retook the quiz (which we will grade together on Monday), but you also began the process of transforming your persuasive essays into speeches!  You recieved a handout that detailed the particulars of the process, and a checklist, which you should begin immediately!

You need to

1) put your speech onto note cards (which it looks like many of you did, since I don't have any note cards left)

2) practice your speech 20 different times, with 20 different people! Yes, different people!  You see 15 spaces for peers - each one has to be a different kid!  You also see 5 spaces for adults; those can be repeated.

You need to have practiced your speech 20 times before Wednesday!  The completed sheet is a homework grade!

Homework:  (see above)

Our Librarian Is Biking for Our Lungs!

Mrs. Whall, our amazing librarian is participating in the 2012 Cycle the Seacoast Ride for the American Lung Association.  The ride is a fundraiser to assist the ALA in researching cures for lung disease.  She would love to have your help reaching her personal fundraising goal of $500.  If you care to donate, she would VERY much appreciate your help.

You may either donate online here - http://tinyurl.com/7rbv4oa

EVERYONE GO HERE NOW!

Below is a link that will suscribe you to Collaborize Classroom, which is a site we will use in the future.

http://fusionenglish.collaborizeclassroom.com

Thank You SAU 16!

The voters have spoken, and your teachers' contract was passed!

Quiz Keys

Persuasive Essays Due Tomorrow!

Hi Folks,

Tomorrow you must turn in your complete, final draft essay, with works cited page and parenthetical references.  Every day late is down a letter grade.  If you are absent, it is due the due the day you get back!  It must be printed out BEFORE you come to class!

After you pass it in, we will be review the last sentence diagramming quiz.  Retakes will happen on Wednesday.

You should print out an extra copy of your essay to begin practicing...presentations will begin a week from Wednesday.

Grading Rubric for Your Essay

	A	B	C	D/F
Persuasiveness	Highly engaging hook and finale.  You masterfully use recognizable, relevant, known, and reliable sources.	Either the hook or finale could be more engaging.  One of the sources comes from a less-authoritative source.	Both the hook and  finale could be more engaging.  More than one of the sources comes from a less-authoritative source.	The hook and finale aren’t engaging, and the sources carry no authoritative weight.
Flow/Structure	Thesis and topic sentences are masterfully matched and fit together.  Quotes or facts are expertly embedded.  Transitions used cleverly.  The entire essay flows perfectly.	Thesis and topic sentences fit together with key words, but not masterfully done.  Transitions used well, and quotes and facts are embedded.	There are evident thesis and topic sentences, but they don't all cohesively fit together.  More than one of the transitions is awkward.  Some of the quote or fact embedding is awkward or missing.	Either thesis or one of the topic sentences is indistinguishable from other sentences.  The paper is choppy, with no transitions.  Poor or little attempt to embed quotes.
PQE / Quality of Analysis	Quotes/facts fully PQE'd, and there are clear, well-stated connections to your topic sentences and thesis; the relevance of the quote or fact is clearly evident. The quote/fact is perfect evidence of point.	Most quotes/facts PQE'd, well-chosen quotes/facts that support the topic sentences.  The facts are easily understood with the PQE.  Quotes/facts are well chosen.	Quotes/facts are missing aspects of PQE, or quotes/facts don't adequately support topic sentences. PQE.  Quotes/facts are mostly well chosen, but one or two are weak.	Quotes/facts are largely irrelevant or unintelligible, and there is little attempt at PQE.  The quotes are generally weak, coming from unknown or unreliable sources, or just don’t make sense or support your topic sentences.
Editing / MLA Format	No errors, perfect format.  There are at least three unique sources, and each parenthetical reference matches a works cited entry.	Very few errors, perfect format. There are at least two unique sources, and each parenthetical reference matches a works cited entry.	Some errors, but evidence that paper is still edited.  Some problems with format. There are at fewer than three unique sources, or there is an inadequate reliance on one source, or each parenthetical reference doesn't match a works cited entry.	Little evidence of editing or attention paid to format.  Large problems with reliance on a single source of information, or huge problems with matching references to works cited.

Checklist for Your Persuasive Speech

Tomorrow your typed rough draft is due.  Check out what you need:

Persuasive Essay Checklist

M.L.A.

ü  Last name and (insert – page number) are in the header

ü  My name, Teacher’s name, period date is in the upper-left corner

ü  1-inch margins

ü  Times New Roman, 12-pt. font

ü  Everything is double-spaced (CTL + 2)

ü  Clever title

Intro Paragraph

ü  There is an engaging hook

ü  There is a few sentences of background information on your topic

ü  It ends with a 1-sentence thesis that clearly states your position.

ü  All three parts of the paragraph flow together.

Body Paragraphs

ü  There are simple or “deluxe” transitions

ü  Your topic sentences have key words that match your thesis

ü  Your topic sentences are good supporting reasons for your thesis

ü  Your topic sentence is not a question

ü  Your topic sentence is one sentence

ü  You do NOT have too many facts that your paragraphs seem just like a list of facts

ü  You do have only the most effective facts, and they are all well PQE’d

ü  Facts and quotes have an embedding phrase (i.e. “According to …)

ü  Every fact or quote in a sentence has a parenthetical reference

ü  Each paragraph has a conclusion sentence

Conclusion Paragraph

ü  Restate your thesis in different words

ü  Summarize each of your three body paragraphs

ü  Include a “reverse hook” to wrap up your topic and leave the reader with a strong and lasting final impression

Works Cited Page

ü  It has the words “Works Cited” at the top and centered

ü  The page is double-spaced, just like everything else

ü  The citations are in alphabetical order

ü  The citations are in reverse-indented (CTL + Tab)

ü  There are no extra, unmatched citations

Lovely Postcard from Alaska!

I'll give you the address if you want it!

We're Baaaaack! Diagramming Review and Body Paragraphs

I hope you had a lovely vacation!  Today we reviewed some sentence diagrams.  We are really jumping right back into it, so time to buckle down!

Homework:

1. Type two body paragraphs for tomorrow.
2. Diagram one sentence for tomorrow.
3. Full, typed, MLA-formatted, rough draft with Works Cited is due Wednesday!
4. Sentence Diagram quiz is Friday.