SATURDAY STUDY SESSION!!

BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!!!

EOCT PRACTICE SESSION

 THIS SATURDAY MAY, 4, 2013 FROM 9 AM -1PM

ECAC is hosting a EOCT Practice this Saturday from 9-1. Please, bring your child, so they can receive extra practice for the EOCT. Remember the EOCT is only 2 days away on May 7, 2013, and they can use as much practice as then can get!

Parents, you need to provide your children with breakfast, and we will provide the students with lunch! Please, make sure you are at the school promptly at one to pick up your child.  If you have any questions please contact Ms. Willard.

EOCT Next Week!

Please, be aware that we will be taking our EOCT (End of Course Test) next week on May 7th, for my class. Please, make sure your child is practicing on Georgia OAS as well as on Study Island. These websites are helpful for ensuring that your child will pass the test.

Also, make sure that they have a good night's rest, a healthy breakfast, and they have had plenty of test practice!

FYI: For Your Information!

Next week students will begin working on Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet. I am very excited to start this unit! Here are a few things to look forward to as we read:

1. Students will receive a Romeo and Juliet study guide that consist of questions that cover the entire play. Students are responsible for keeping up with this study guide, completing all questions, and turning it in at the end of the unit for a grade. 
2. We are planning a field trip to the Shakespeare Tavern around May 15th for those students who have NO disciplinary problems and who are passing the class. Those who are not passing will be required to stay at the school during that time to complete all make-up work to improve their grade. I will give more details as we move closer to May. 
3. At the end of the unit, we will host a Shakespearean feast that will include medieval food stuffs and medieval dress. We will also watch the movie version of the play. However, this is also a reward for those students who are passing and have no disciplinary problems. All other students will be required to complete make-up work during this time to improve their grades. 
4. Students need to make sure they are completing their study island homework, which has been assigned to them each week and is due by Sunday. 

As always, I will be after school until 4:30 for tutorial everyday except Mondays. Students who are having problems accessing the internet are welcome to stay after school as well to complete any online work.

GA OAS Test

Tomorrow, students will be taking a test on the Georgia Online Assessment System over the standards that we have covered in class. Students need to study tonight and review any literary terms that we have went over. You may view the previous post for an update of literary terms.

If your child is absent from class on Thursday, they may go online and take the test at home. They may go to www.georgiaoas.org. Make sure you disable your pop up blocker, and the test is timed. So make sure your child has atleast 45 minutes to complete the test.  Students log-on information is their GTID# and the password is initpass. If you have any further questions be sure to send me an email.

Homework

Please, make sure your students are completing their 5 assignments on Study Island each week. These assignments are due on Sunday of each week. If not, it will negatively impact their grade and cause them to be held after school in Academic Detention on Mondays.  They are already assigned until the end of the school year. They only have to complete 10 questions for each assignment. This week they should be working on EOCT Practice 4, which is due this Sunday.

Assignments:
Tonight students need to complete their worksheet on Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers.

Persuasive Business Letter Project

Okay, we are working on our Persusasive Business Letters in class on social issues going on in our local communities, our states, and across the nation. Students picked their own topics to debate about in class to our official "congress" and convince them of their various views. For extra credit, students must dress up in nice clothing (business/professional/church attire: Men should wear a nice tie and slacks, and ladies were a nice outfit of slacks, skirt, or even dress).

Students may need help researching their topics at home and the essay is due on March 20, 2013. It will be written in a bussiness letter format and it only needs to be 1-2 pages at the most.

Here is the address for their business letter.

Attn: Office of the Clerk
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Capitol, Room H154
Washington, DC 20515

If students really want to be involved in local and national legislature, they can really send their letters to the appropriate representatives and see if they can elicit a response! It would be awesome to see the outcome.

Remember, if your child needs extra help, feel free to have them stay after school. I am here until 4:00 unless stated otherwise. Also, please make sure they ask in advance and have a way home. Thanks!!

Essay Revisions

All students may revise their essays for higher scores and submit their essays under the assignment titled Revision 1 on turnitin.com. Students who have not turned their essays and have earned a 0, may do this as well. Students will not receive credit unless they submit their essays over turnitin.com.

All revised and late essays must be in by March 15.

Note to Students and Parents: Infinite Campus Grade Book Error

There is an error with the Infinite Campus grade book. 

Please, be advised there is an error with the Infinite Campus Grade book for my class that is now being serviced. The grade book should be completely updated and revised by Tuesday, March 12, 2003. If you have any questions or issues feel free to comment on this post, email me at jacobs.dawnell.c@muscogee.k12.ga.us, or you may call the school.

I am sorry for the inconvenience, but thank you for your understanding.

Homework

Students, starting Tuesday 3/5/2013, all students will be assigned 5 lessons per week to complete on Study Island (studyisland.com).These lessons will review concepts learned in class and they will assist students with the EOCT that will occur at the end of the course.


Students will be required to complete these lessons as homework. The assignment counts as a homework grade. They may complete these assignments more than once to receive a passing grade as this is EOCT Practice. However, the first passing score is what will be entered into the grade book.

Extra Credit

I students would like to gain extra credit to help bolster their grade they may complete the following assignment:

Using the "Scarlet Ibis" or "Odysseus" stories that was read in class, students may create a One Man One Act Play and perform the play for the class. They play must not be longer than 15 minutes. Students need to create their own script, it must be aproved by me, and they perform this script to the class. Students can use props and music to help. They may also recruit one other class member to act as "stage Crew" to help them set up their play or assist in playing music.

This assignment must be completed on or before March 8th in order to receive extra credit.

Homework

Read pgs. 552-559 of "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst and create your own short story or narrative that includes a symbol of your chioce. You must use symbolism to give your work a thematic meaning. Be prepared to share your writing in class. It does not have to be typed in MLA Format, unless for extra credit.

Parent Update!!

Hello Parents!

We have just ended our Unit on Journey and Exploration. We have read, The Odyssey by Homer and learned about ancient mythology. Students learned to identify archetypes and have written both narrative and argumentative essays. We are now entering our new Unit on Courage. Students will read about people undertaking courageous task and coming out victorious.

Here are some of the terms your child should know and understand from this Unit:

1. Archetypes
2. Mythology
3. Imagery
4. Epic Simile 
5. Extended Metaphor
6. Sensory Details
7. Narrative Writing
8. Argumentative Writing
9. Hero Quest Archetype
10. MLA Style Format
11. Symbolism
12. Epic Poetry
13. Epic Hero 
14. Tragedy
15. Comedy
16. Tragic Flaw
17. Tragic Hero
18. Participle Phrase
19. Parallel Structure
20. Verb Phrases
21. Noun Phrases

Please, review these terms at home with your child and insure they understand. Their notes should discuss these terms in their notebooks.

Homework

Write 2 poems both containing 7 lines. 1 poem must contain an example of an epic simile and the other will contain an example of an extended metaphor. Underline and label your examples. Be prepared to share in class.

For extra credit: You may type and include graphics that reflect the theme of your poem.

Homework

Read "The Land of the Dead" Chapter in the Odyssey p.999-1004 Answer questions on page 1004.

 

Homework!! Due Tomorrow!!

Chapter Summary: The Cyclops p.986-999

Annotate, or make a list of, the important events that occurred in the chapter called Cyclops on page 986-999 as you read and use this to create a chapter summery. 
Due: Tomorrow!

Welcome Back!!!

Welcome Back ECAC Family! 

I would like to take this time to welcome all my freshman students back from their exciting time off. I am so ready to see you all again and I am excited about the new semester.

This semester we will be working on our 9th grade CCGPS Standards and preparing for the EOCT that occurs at the end of the school year. We will also be working extensively from our literature booklet, which students were assigned at the beginning of the year. Please, make sure the students have kept up with those as they are essential and also costly (if they are lost students will have to pay for them!)

We are starting this semester working on the Odyssey, which is an epic poem written by Homer and an example of Mythological Folklore. Students will have two writing projects during this unit, which will be assigned much later. Also, students will have the opportunity to watch the movie along with Greek refreshments, if they are well-behaved.

I look forward to a great semester. Please, parents make sure to SIGN THE SYLLABUS AND RETURN TO SCHOOL BY JANUARY 16TH. Thank you!!