Today in English we read the short story "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin. We have homework due on Wednesday to make an outline and then write a creative writing story with the same components and elements of Story of an Hour. The words tumultuous, tentative, and fervor must be used.

Today we did some work in our journals and discussed a few new vocabulary words in preparation for our short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. The students did a great job reading this and discussing how it works with our Term 2 theme of "herd mentality." The homework for tonight is to write one page about how the lottery featured in the story kept the community intact. This will be due in English class tomorrow.

Year 7/8- Today in Oral Communication we discussed tabloids and sensationalism in journalism. We picked a few topics from our Discussion Starters book and had a roundtable discussion followed by individual "reporting" of the topics in a more sensationalized style. The students did a fantastic job with this and really grasped the concepts of communicating within a tabloid framework. Excellent! There is no homework tonight.

Year 9/10- In 9/10 we discussed human interest stories as this will be the focus of our main project this term (more on that to come). We spent the rest of the class working on persuasive "advertisement" speeches and presenting these. The students did a great job with these, especially considering they were being put on the spot in a very short time period and we had some productive peer assessment of the speeches as well. There is no homework tonight.

Without laptops we are relying on paper and pencils more... if you can bring/have your student bring these supplies to school daily that would be great. Thank you!

In both Humanities classes we watched a short National Geographic documentary about North Korea- it was fascinating! We will have some follow up discussion about what we saw during the next Humanities lesson.

Today we started our writing portfolios to keep track of our written work and assessments. These will stay in the classrooms at all times. We did some journal writing and vocabulary work while brainstorming ideas about our big question essay. Next week we will start some short story reading and more writing.

Today we started our writing portfolios to keep track of our written work and assessments. These will stay in the classrooms at all times. We did some journal writing and vocabulary work while brainstorming ideas about our big question essay. Next week we will start some short story reading and more writing.
 

Hi All, 

Wrapping up this 2011-2012 school year at Cunae our 10th graders will be taking a look at the Pop Art movement of the 1950's.  Students will explore the liberating focus of the Pop Art movement and it's objective of making art accessible to all people with an emphasis on consumerism.  Pop Art theology continues to influence contemporary movements of today.  Consumer objects have conceptual opportunities that can be utilized to visually communicate, promote, and convey trends and ideas.  Students will study and reproduce  works that reflect techniques of Pop Art favorites such as Kevin Haring, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns and George Rodriques.  We will also discuss the significance of the object in our culture in a new forum, the  'Cunae Cafe'.

In the interest of encouraging our students to investigate the various artistic venues in our community, we are assigning a project where students will visit various museums/exhibits, then write a critical analysis reflecting on the exhibit as a whole with focus on a single work of art. 

If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thanks,

Mrs. Abby

Welcome back! I am looking forward to Term 2! We will be doing lots of learning, discovering, writing, analyzing, reflecting and much more in Language Arts, Humanities, EDGALB, Oral Communication and PE! Please continue to check thinkwave for assignments and projects- all of our main assessments will be on here within the next couple of days... let's try to stay organized! Remember to bring good shoes for PE lessons and keep those laptops at home!

See you Wednesday!

Today we took our exam! I am sure everyone will do a great job!

Today we spent class time reveiwing as well as reading some current events articles which discussed some of the topics we covered last week in EDGALB and Humanities, and we worked on our Levels of Development maps.

Today we spent a good deal of class discussing business ethics and going over various scenarios in business today. We decided on some articles to be written for our newsletter and will work more with this next week.

Today in class we continued work on our Levels of Development in class Geography assignment. We will not be doing any of this for homework to allow for time to study for exams and write essays.

Developing/Developed class lesson
Terms to know:

1.  Primary economic activity
2.  Secondary economic activity
3.  Tertiary economic activity
4.  Quaternary economic Activity
5.  Natural resources 

6.  Infrastructure
7.  Per Capita Income
8.  Gross National Product
9.  Gross Domestic Product
10.  Developed Nation
11. Developing Nation
 

Today we went over the exam review sheet again, and then started an individual ancient civilization in-class activity. A reminder that the newspaper homework is due tomorrow.

Today we took our French Revolution quiz and went over the exam review sheet. The students did some good preparation in class!

The Humanities 7/8 students got straight to work today on their Roman Empire packets. We then went over our Exam review sheet. I have attached a copy here for review (the students were given a paper copy in class). There will be no surprises! We are going over everything in class, and the students can review and study in class as well as ask me for clarification... I want to see everyone succeed!

Humanities 7/8 Term 1 Exam

There will be 3 short answer questions and 1 essay. Each short answer is worth 15 points. Year 7 Students should aim to write between 2-3 sentences for each and in complete sentences. Year 8 Students should aim to write between 3-4 sentences for each and in complete sentences. Each essay question is worth 55 points- 25 points for knowledge/content, 15 points for the thesis statement (we will review this again!), and 15 points for grammar, spelling and structure. Year 7 Students should write 2-3 paragraphs to answer their essay and Year 8 Students should write 3 or more paragraphs.
The focus of the exam will be on expressing your thoughts and knowledge of the various topics covered in Humanities so far this year. You will need to prepare ahead of time in order to write a clear, thoughtful and cohesive exam paper in class. Listed below are the topics to cover for exam- remember 3 of the short answer options will show up along with one of the essay choices listed below.
Good luck!

Short answer-
1) What is the difference between relative and absolute location? Explain and give an example of each.
2) Explain human-environment interaction and give an example from history or modern times.
3) Describe the geography of Greece and give an example of how it affected the daily lives of those living in Ancient Greece.
4) List and describe 3 cultural aspects of life in Ancient Greece.
5) List and describe 3innovations of the Ancient Romans.

Essay-
1) Compare and contrast daily life in Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece. What was unique about their societies? What was similar? Think about climate, geography, food, culture, the arts, defense, values, and traditions.
2) Why did Rome become such a strong empire? What advantages did they have? How did they become so successful? Include your knowledge of the geography of Rome.

The students are doing a fantastic job!

Today we discussed some potential areas we would like to cover in the future, and we made a "game plan" for the next two weeks. We will continue to work on our newsletter!

We covered the topic of bias in writing and in the media. We had a mini in-class writing assignment about bias... and I was very impressed! Adam got straight to work and came up with a rather insightful piece about a current news event (we will cover stereotypes later based on his work!), and Robbie and Ian got their ideas on paper about the fairy tale characters they were working with. Gwyneth did an AMAZING job with her writing piece and her creative thoughts deserve a lot of credit!! Well done! The students are doing such great work; I am so proud of them!

Watch this space- I have lessons planned for business, journalism, current events and more for the future, and I know the EDGALB students are going to do a fabulous job!!

This will be handed out in class on Wednesday. If you are on top of things and checking thinkwave- yay!

Do NOT stress about the exam. I am going to work with you to make sure you are all prepared! I want you to do your best! I am not here to trick you!!!

:)

Humanities 9/10 Term 1 Exam

There will be 3 short answer questions and 2 essays. Each short answer question is worth 12 points. Year 9 students should write between 2-3 complete sentences for each and Year 10 students should write between 3-4 complete sentences each. Each essay is worth 32 points. 15 points will be awarded for content and knowledge, 9 points for a strong and complete thesis statement, and 8 points for grammar, spelling and structure. Year 10 students will be expected to be more in depth and descriptive with the knowledge and content section of the exam.
The focus of the exam will be on expressing your thoughts and knowledge of the various topics covered in Humanities so far this year. You will need to prepare ahead of time in order to write a clear, thoughtful and cohesive exam paper in class. Listed below are the topics to cover for exam- remember 3 of the short answer options will show up along with 2 of the essay choices listed below.
Good luck!

Short answer-
1) What is the difference between relative and absolute location? Explain and give an example of each.
2) Explain human-environment interaction and give an example from history or modern times.
3) Define and describe the scientific method and how it changed current thinking in the 1500s and later.
4) List and describe 3 innovations of the thinkers of the Scientific Revolution.
5) Describe the Stamp Act and explain why it was a turning point in the road to revolution for the colonists.

Essay-
1) Compare and contrast two of the famous “Thinkers” of the Scientific Revolution. What was similar about their thinking and contributions to the scientific community? How did they change the world around them? Include information about the geography of the Scientific Revolution- where did it take place?
2) Discuss the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. Include a description of the geography of the colonies in your answer, and explain how the geography of the colonies and England influenced the events leading to war.
3) Compare and contrast the American and French Revolutions. Who were the colonists and the French influenced by? How were they able to successfully change the world around them? Include a description of the geography of both countries, and of the area where the Revolutions took place.

Welcome to your Personal Project! You are about to embark onto a path of self discovery and learning.

What is the Personal Project?
Its an opportunity or you to investigate and focus on a theme, topic and/or issue and demonstrate the skills you have developed in approaches to learning.

What is it?
The project may take on many forms, anything from a mural to a written piece of work. It could be an invention, a developed business plan, anything your creativity can reach.

What are the rules?
• The project must reflect your personality.
• You must keep a journal of the process and progress of your project.
• Make the most of your supervision sessions.
• Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Please reference all the material used.

What structure must my project have?
The personal project has the following structure:
• Title page
• Table of contents
• Introduction: defining the goal. You should provide an outline of how you intend to reach the goal
• Description of the process: including steps, characteristics. This is what the journal is for!
• Analysis of the inspiration, research and influences guiding the work: analyse the the product in terms of the areas of interaction, the focus.
• Conclusion: reflect on the impact of your project, and the new perspectives that you’ve gained.
• Bibliography
• Appendices, where appropriate.

How long does it have to be?
It varies. Essays must not exceed 4,000 words. Even if the project is not a piece of writing, a formal written presentation (with the above components) must be handed in.
There will also be a formal presentation to classmates and parents.

What do I need a journal for?
The process journal provides you with support. You should update it regularly, bring it to all meetings with your supervisor, records the progress honestly, put your thoughts, ideas, decisions, feelings and reflections into it. It may be used in the assessment of your project. (Assessment criteria G).

How will I be assessed?
You will be assessed using the rubric in your Student handbook

What is my timeline?

GOAL DEADLINE
Pick 3 possible topics for research 20th September
 

Establish plan to include:
o clear and achievable goal,
o justify and describe the chosen focus for the areas of interaction,
o describe the steps followed to achieve the goal 19th October

Collection of information and resources:
o Present at least 5 different type of sources: internet, interviews, books, encyclopedias, journals, newspapers, etc. Must include references!
o Choose techniques relevant to the goal 6th  December
 

Carry out project  6th March

First draft of written work 10th April

Second and final draft of written work 22nd May

In between these deadlines you must program meetings with your supervisor. You have a total of 10 meetings available for help.

Congratulations and good luck!!

Today we discussed the newspaper assignment and gave Trey and Evan their contributions- 1 news story each and Trey will have ads and Evan will get entertainment. The newspaper items are due by Thursday, Dec 1. We discussed the upcoming exam (this will take place on Monday, December 5), and students will get a complete review sheet this week to prepare. We finished class by working more on Ancient Rome.

Today in class we reviewed our Venn Diagram homeworks (I still need one from Robbie) and took notes on the French Revolution. Robbie and Adam still need to complete their chapter 18 homeworks and hand those in ASAP. We will have a quiz over the French Revolution on Wednesday. We discussed our upcoming exam (which will be on Dec 7)... look for a complete review sheet later this week! To prepare for the exam we worked on thesis statements- these are coming along nicely! We have a small homework on comparing the US and French Revolutions in a thesis statement due Wed. The students did a great job today!

Today we reviewed the homework- the Venn Diagram of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece and took some new notes on Ancient Rome. A reminder that the homework (all of the assignments on Ancient Greece with Ms. Shirah) is due tomorrow. We began a class project of creating a Roman newspaper. The assignments were as follows-

News stories- all students do one each at 2-3 paragraphs each, sports- Mack, deaths- Brendan, entertainment- plays, restaurants, books, etc.- Angel, Brendan, funnies- Cali, advertisements- Mack and Dani, advice column- Cali, classifieds- Mack and Dani, weather- Angel. Trey and Evan- we will assign your parts when we see you!

The year 7/8s worked hard today and came up with some very creative things! I was impressed with each and every student! Well done! We will continue this in class tomorrow.

Today the Scientific Revolution presentation grades were handed back, and the England/chapter 18 timeline story homework assignment was collected. We began a discussion and notes on the events leading up to the American Revolution. Homework- which is due the Monday after the Thanksgiving break (the 28th) is to read chapter 19 and create a Venn Diagram on the similarities and differences of the American and French Revolutions with 5 categories for each part of the Diagram. We will examine these two "Revolutions" more after the break.

Remember your timeline/story of chapter 18 is due in class on Monday, November 21!

Today we reviewed our knowledge of ancient Greece and wrote a diary entry from the perspective of a Grecian. We went over the physical geography of modern day Rome (and Italy) and got a homework assignment. Students are to compare and contrast Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome in a Venn Diagram which is to include a minimum of 5 items in each category. This is due on Monday, November 21. All of the remaining work from the Ancient Greece unit (timelines, collages, travel brochures, etc.) is due no later than Tuesday, November 22. I want to give students feedback on their assignments and keep them up to date so we are all prepared for exams.

Thanks!

Today we spent some time reflecting on what we did well and not so well on our Scientific Revolution presentations. My aim is to grade these and give helpful feedback by next Tuesday. We took some review notes over the Scientific Revolution as well as some notes covering The Enlightenment, and how the Scientific Revolution influenced it. We worked on an in-class writing assignment which focused on creating strong thesis statements about our "Thinkers" from our presentations. I have collected these and will provide feedback to students. Finally, I have asked the students to look over chapter 18 in the green text tonight to be prepared to move forward with the material in class tomorrow.

Thanks!

We will be finishing up our presentations on the Thinkers of the Scientific Revolution and then reviewing Chapter 18 in the green text. Make sure you have read Chapter 18 so we can discuss it and possibly take a quiz on it in the near future.

Thanks!