Vocabulary for "The Most Evil Sorcerer"

1943 Webster Dictionary (New Census Edition)
Originally uploaded by Wil Lau

Below are the 5 vocabulary words for this week. If you did not get the notes on Monday, this will help you complete Homework #5.

We have a quiz on these words on Friday, October 31st!

• cruel: ready to hurt others; causing suffering
• humiliate: make someone lose his pride or self-respect
• mutter: to say something very quietly, especially in anger
• ruin: to damage beyond repair
• stagger: to walk unsteadily, moving from side to side

Directions for completing the graphic organizers:

• Definition: Write in the dictionary definition (see above for our definitions)
• What is is: Write what the vocabulary word means in your own words and/or give examples
• What it isn't: Write down the opposite of the vocabulary and/or give non-examples
• Use it in a sentence: Write a sentence that uses the vocabulary word

Marking Period 2 Project: Write Your Own Short Story

July Zine Is Here!
Originally uploaded by kate*

As you know, we have been studying "The Art of the Short Story" and the elements that make up all stories. This marking period, your project is to write your own short story--one that you make up entirely--based on the elements we are studying in class.

Your short story will have:

• a setting: where it takes place and when (each story should last for no more than one day)
• 2 characters: your main character and his/her enemy
• plot: the series of events that your character goes through
• conflict: a big problem that drives the series of events

I'm super excited about this project because I myself am a writer and used to be the editor of a literary journal in college.

Once we've written the stories, we are going to turn them into our own literary journal (see photo in the top right corner of this post) that we can give to teachers, administrators, friends and family.

As of Monday, October 27, you should have completed two homework assignments for this project:

• HW#3: What is the setting of your story?
• HW #4: Who is the main character?

This week we will finish brainstorming and move into organizing your ideas for your short story.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Classroom 6,
originally uploaded by Martin Deutsch.

We have parent teacher conferences tonight and tomorrow.

Come to room 741 Thursday night between 6 and 8:30 or Friday afternoon between 12:30 and 3 to have a sit down with your parents and teachers.

Any students who come with their parents will receive 10 extra credit points in whichever category they need it most (Classwork, Homework, Projects and Papers, Tests and Quizzes).

Oh, and I made peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies. Come and get some!

Test tomorrow - Thursday October 23

Pencils,
originally uploaded by fortinbras.

This is a reminder that we have a test tomorrow on plot, character and setting and the short stories we've read in Gone From Home.

You will be asked to:

• Watch a short animated film and identify plot, character and setting.
• Answer vocabulary questions for all 10 words we have had so far
• Write short answer (3-5 sentence) responses on questions about the short stories
• Read a short story and fill out a Somebody Wants But So Chart

Make sure you bring a pen or pencil and come on time! If you're late, you'll miss the short film.

Reading Journal Final Packages Due Monday October 20

This is a reminder that your Reading Journal Final Package is due on Monday, October 20.

This project includes:
• 8 pages of reading journals

*Homeworks 8, 9, 10 - Reading Journal: Connections (white packet)

*Homeworks 12, 13, 14 - Reading Journal: Connections and Predictions (blue packet)

*Homeworks 15, 16 - Reading Journal: Predictions (white packet)

• An illustrated cover that includes your name and a picture related to something you read
• Answers to the questions on the Reflection worksheet (extra copies are in the PINK homework binder)


Directions to finish this project:

1. Gather together all of your journal pages from your homework
2. Make sure you have 8 pages. If you don't, complete the journal pages you're missing.
   
3. Look over the journals you turned in already and make corrections or add details wherever I asked you to
4. Complete the Reflection Worksheet
5. Make your cover
6. Staple EVERYTHING together, including the reading journal pages