Multiplying and Dividing Integers

Thurs Dec 16th

HW - Take home Integers Retest due by tomorrow at the end of class.

Thurs Dec 9, 2010

Today we took a formal note:

Algebra Vocabulary

• A variable is a symbol, usually a letter of the alphabet that stands for an unkown number (ex: x)
• An expression is a combination of variables, numbers and at least one operatopm (ex: 2x+3 or 4x - 3y +14z -24)
• An equation is a sentence that contains an equal sign (ex: 2x+3 = 23)

Homework 1)Finish Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, Dividing Integers worksheet (both sides)

2) Test Monday - +, -, * / Integers. Adding and subtracting fractions including whole numbers

Tuesday Dec 7th, 2010

Today we Continued using Candy to illustrate Additing, Subtracting, Multiplying and dividing using candies. Yummmm.

HW - Integers Mini-Assignment due tomorrow

Friday Dec 3, 2010

Today we were in the computer lab making T Tables.

Homework:
* Finish Adding Integers
* On bottom of Fractions quiz illustrate 3 1/5 + 4 5/7 (three and a fifth plus four and five sevenths)

Thurs Nov 25th

Today we looked at translating words into algebraic expressions

(ex. 12 plus a number is 12 +x)

Homework:

Finish Patterning Warm-Up assignment. Hand in tomorrow.

Wed Nov 24th

Homework:
Both sides of Adding Fractions sheet - Odd #s only

NEW UNIT - Patterning & Algebra

In the next few weeks we will be moving on to Patterning and Algebra.
(At the same time we will also be reviewing and practicing some basic concepts related to Number Sense)

IN CLASS - "Patterning Warm-Up" Assignment (Due in class Friday)

HOMEWORK - Both sides of fractions worksheet - (Due tomorrow)

Struggling with Mixed-Number / Improper fractions?

See here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si5Qf4lfPh0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPetBqWKvZM

Thursday Nov 18th, 2010

MATH TEST MONDAY (Angle Relationships)
There will not be a re-test this time around so study hard!

Have a great long weekend!

Friday Nov 12th & Tues Nov 16th

Today we continued our work on angles.

HOMEWORK (from last 2 classes):
"Test Yourself" - All #s
Sheet 3.5 Parallel & Perpendicular Lines - Odd #s
Sheet 10.3 Angles in a Triangle - Odd #s
Sheet 10.4 - Quadrilaterals - BONUS
Pretest - Odd #s

Transversal Angle relationships

Today we finished our formal note about angles.

We looked at transversals.
http://www.mathopenref.com/transversal.html

Use the website above to see where which angles are equal...

Homework: "3.4 Angle Relationships" Odd numbers 1-15, #17 is bonus.

Friday Nov 5th - Pi Song and Angles formal note

In the Computer Lab Period 4 we finished the Excel Circles spreadsheet (for the Math project).

We began the Angles assignment on Geometer's Sketchpad (GSP).

And... Pi, pi, mathematical Pi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BwKZEp2K_0&feature=related

In class Period 5 we took a formal note about angles and then we used protractors to explore angle relationships.

HW - "3.2 Measuring, Drawing, and Classifying Angles" Odd numbered questions - due Monday

Paaaaarrrrtay & Re-Test

Today was our long-awaited free period for good behaviour.

Remember - Ms. Gesner awards points when: 1) 8-8 works productively; 2) everyone has finished their homework; 3) everyone is on time (Period 1)

Keep up the good work!

P.S. Circles retest will be Friday at 11:50am in Room 17, Bring your lunch

Thurs - TEST TOMORROW, project deadline extended

Test tomorrow - Study the pretest and the six problems on the half-sheets.

You should be working on your Math project!
Deadline is extended to Friday Nov 12th.
If you hand it in by Friday Nov 5th you'll get 5% bonus.

Remember - Extra-help everyday after school - Chocolate will be provided.

Monday Oct 25th - FREE PERIOD TOMORROW!!

HW - Do all odd questions on the Circle Pre-Test, due Wednesday.

Circles Test will be Friday.

Math Project due a week from Wednesday (Nov 3rd)

Math Project - due Wednesday Nov 3rd

Math Project – Exploring the Circumference and the area of a circle
(Remember Area is all about the radius!!... Circumference is all about the Diameter!)

Part 1 – Circle Vocabulary
1. Draw a circle. Label the radius, diameter, circumference, centre, a chord and an arc.


Part 2 – Finding the circumference (think diameter!)
2. What is the formula to calculate the Circumference of a circle?
3. Describe in words how this formula works.
4. Explain (in words) how we compared the diameter and circumference using yarn.
5. Display your Excel Circumference database.
6. Discuss how your results compare to other groups in the class.


Part 3 – Finding the Area (think radius!)
7. What is the formula to calculate the area of a circle?
8. Describe in words how the formula works.
9. Choose three methods to calculate the area of a circle. Describe and demonstrate each method.
10. Which method was most accurate? Explain.

Part 4 – Pi
11. What is pi? Explain in your own words. List your sources of information.

BONUS
12. Demonstrate more than three ways to find the area.
13. Include more information about pi (history, other uses for it…)
14. Produce creative art inspired by circles or pi (Anything goes – painting, anime, video, song, spoken word. Have fun! )


Presentation: You can choose the format: duotang, poster, video or other.

Due date: Wednesday November 3rd , 2010. Some work will be done in class, but you will need to work at home too.

See me outside of class time if you would like to work with a partner.

Brainstorming about Area - Tuesday Oct 19, 2010

Today we brainstormed ways to calculate the area of a circle. Ms. Gesner was very impressed by the depth of the thinking.

Ways to calculate area of a circle

1. Use the formula. A = ∏ r^2 (Area equals pi times the radius squared. Area equals pi times radius, times radius)

2. Use gridpaper.

3. Use the "Egyptian method"

Here is one way to do it (There are several similar methods).

Draw a square around the circle with sides equal to the diameter

Divide the circle into 9 equal squares

Connect the dots to draw an octagon

Calculate the area of the octagon.

4. Use the Lucas pizza pie triangle method.

Divide the circle into 8 slices.

Use the formula for area of a triangle (A = b x h /2) to caculate the area of each slice

5. Use the "lazy parallelogram" method.

Cut the circle into 8 slices. Make a parallelogram. The area of a parallelogram = b x h (not side times side... you must use the height of the parallelogram)

Homework:Finish all examples on sheet "4.3 Circumference of a Circle"

vendredi le 15 octobre

Today we discussed - If we know the Circumference how can we go backwards to find the diameter?

USING DIVISION!

C=pi x d so d = C/pi

(in words, Circumference equals pi times the Diameter. The Diameter is Circumference divided by pi.)

Next we finished comparing diameter and circumference using yarn.

Homework: - Do all even questions on sheet "3.4 Circumference". Do the maze and pizza examples on the back. This is due Tuesday because Monday is Day 8, no Math Class :-(

Have a nice weekend!.

Thurs - Mini-Quiz & more circles

As a warm-up we looked at XZY + XYZ = YZX. X must be less than 5, Y must be at least double X. X=4 Y=9 Z=5
We did a short quiz on circles.
We corrected the odd numbers of the circle questions.

HW - Finish all questions on the circles page.

Tuesday & Wednesday

Tuesday - We used yarn to explore the ratio between diameter and circumference of a circle.

Wednesday - In the lab we finished the Geometer's Sketchpad lab. In class we did "Circumference of a Circle" worksheet.

HW - Do all odd examples on both sides of the circle sheet. QUIZ TOMORROW - Know how to label the radius, diameter & circumference.

Friday - Geometer's Skektchpad!

Today we reviewed the terms diameter, radius and chord.

We then came down to the lab to use the fabulous programme GEOMETER'S SKETCHPAD.

Homework:

Bring a Geometry set, amke sure test was signed and have a happy Thanksgiving.

Wednesday, Thursday - Square Roots and Circles

On Wednesday we looked at how to approximate the value of a square root.

Homework: Do #18-22 on Square Roots sheet.

On Thursday we discussed circles - What makes them unique? - What makes them hard to draw freehand?

We watched a video on freehand circles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAhfZUZiwSE

Radius -

Diameter -

Circumference -

Monday Oct 4th - a quiet class

Today some students were finishing Test #1.
The other students worked quietly on the puzzle sheet, or on doing all examples on sheets where only odd or even numbers were assigned.

Homework for Tuesday:
"Chapter 3 Pretest Sheet" Do all examples in Column a (Do 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a, 6a)

How to multiply decimals:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEHbLRHxQpE

Thurs 30th - the last day of Sept

Today we had Math Test #1 - factoring, prime&composite, Order of Operations, division.

Homework: (for Monday)
Greatest Common Factor sheet - both sides. Even numbered questions
(yes... you are always welcome to do all questions!)

Sept 29 - A class in the lab, and a class in Room 25

We only use the digital sum for 3 and 9...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ffvCtNZN9Q

But why does it work?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLzzb8XkhCk

Homework:
Finish Pre-Test
Colour in all composite numbers on 1-200s chart
Test - Thursday

Sept 28 - Order of Operations.

More order of operations (BEDMAS) today.

Homework:
Finish all examples on "1.8 Order of Operations"
On "1.8 Order of Operations continued" Do #4 a,b,c; #5 and #6.

Thurs Sept 23rd, 2010

While Ms. Gesner was in a meeting, Winona's favourite supply teacher, Ms. Anastasiadis covered the class.

The instructions were to:

1) Finish all of the questions on the blue divisibility sheet.

2) Finish all of the examples on the "Exponents" worksheet.

3) Begin 1.8 Order of Operations

For Homework:

Finish all of the blue sheet and exponents sheet.

Do a) b) & c) of all questions on 1.8 Order of Operations

See you Monday!

Today we read a second chapter of The Number Devil.

1) We learned the importance of ZERO

2) That you can "hop" numbers (take the exponent) to get large numbers quickly.

10^1=10
10^2=100
10^3=1,000 (one thousand)
10^4=10,000
10^5=100,000
10^6=1,000,000 (one million)
10^9=1,000,000,000 (1 billion)
10^12=1,000,000,000 (1 trilion)

Homework:

Sheet "1.4 Calculating Powers"

Do a), b) and c) of all questions

Tues Sept 21 - a devilishly good class

Today we corrected the divisibility rules (blue sheet) and began reading one of Ms. Gesner's favourite works of Math-inspired fiction - The Number Devil by Hans Magnus Enzenberger.
http://www.amazon.com/Number-Devil-Mathematical-Adventure/dp/0805062998#reader_0805062998

The Number Devil illustrated the following Math facts:
1. Any number can be found by adding up 1s (1+1+1+1)
2. There are therefore an infinite number of whole numbers (because you can always add 1 more)
3. There is an infinite number of numbers between 0 and 1, and these numbers become infinitely small (picture splitting a piece of gum over, and over, and over... although with gum you might eventually get a sub-atomic particle that cannot be split...)

Homework:
None!

Mon Sept 20th

Today's topic was divisibility.

A quick review of the topic can be found at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZYpOKtylxM

Homework:
* Colour multiples of 11 and 13 (again, a different colour for each)
* Blue sheet - Do all odd numbered questions

Sept 17

More discussion of the locker problem today -
What lockers will the 37th person touch? (ALL MULTIPLES of 37)
Who will be the last person to touch 3 lockers? (Person #66, 200 divided by 3 is 66r2)
Which locker will get opened/closed the MOST times? Why are only the perfect squares open at the end?

Homework:
On the 1-200 number chart:
** Colour every third number
** Colour every multiple of seven a different colour
** Get a parent/guardian to sign the blue Course Outline sheet

The number chart will be the basis of a discussion we will have in class on Monday.
(This is the one time during the year you are welcome to do your homework while watching TV or talking on the phone... if your parents don't believe you can direct them to this blog)

** I have also handed out a few "Advanced" problem sheets. During the year I will copy bonus material on off-white paper. You can work on these whenever you find yourself finishing work early... or in those moments when you feel your life just needs more Math.

Wed Sept 15

Today we looked at a problem involving lockers. The scenario was:

1) Josh opens 200 lockers. (or in our case cupboards at the front of the class)

2) John comes along and closes every second locker.

3) Julia arrives and changes the position of every third locker (If the locker is open, she closes it, if closed, she opened it.)

4) Lucas changes the position of every fourth locker.

5) Ben changes every 5th...

6) Shai changes the 6th etc. etc. etc.

A pattern emerged! 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36 - THE PERFECT SQUARES!!

Homework:

Prime or composite sheet (front side only) - due Friday.

September 14

Today we continued discussing problem solving strategies.

Students were asked: "If June 1st is a Monday, how many days will pass before the first Monday in October?"

We finished correcting work from last week.

Homework:
1. Do "cat" problem with ruler
2. Read yesterday's post


posted by: mister awesome A.K.A (WYATT); tidied by Ms. Gesner

Monday Sept 13th.

Today:
1) We warmed up with mental math (a 1/2 sheet with addition on one side, multiplication on the other).

2) Ms. Gesner explained the "checks" motivation system for the class. (In short - do good things, get checks, redeem checks for good things, repeat).

3) Quick review of "Rainbow Factoring" versus "Tree Factoring"
Rainbow - Factors of 24 = 1,2,3,4,6,8,12,24 (use an arc to connect 1 and 24, 2 and 12, 3 and 8, 4 and 6 and you'll have a rainbow)
Tree - Used to get Prime factors. 48 will always be 2x2x2x2x3, no matter how you draw the tree.

4) We began the correction of Yellow Pretest.

HOMEWORK:
Finish Mental Math Halfsheet.
Find this website! Find the link below that shows an animal in a boat (see link to Crossing the River Problem)

Thurs Sept 9, 2010

In our continuing review of basic functions we tackled long division using decimals. There were many tired brains by the end of the period. For tomorrow students need to do one more example in full.

A review of long division using decimals can be found at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0uuK7SQcA8&feature=related

Homework:

1. due Friday - Do one more complete example of a division on the "Hippo" sheet. Show your work!

2. due Monday - Make sure you have a geometry set (protractor, ruler and compas) in your locker.

3. due Monday - Yellow Book Pretest

Wed Sept 8th

Today we discussed ways to solve problems that don't involve numbers - in our case a problem involving a farmer wanting to transport a wolf, goat and vegetables across a river. There are many versions of this famous puzzle. An online version can be found at:
www.mathcats.com/explore/river/crossing.html

Class 8-8 decided that when solving a problem - DRAWING A DIAGRAM often helps. In this case, drawing arrows seemed to be a common trend.

Students received a brand spanking new orange duotang, and boldly attempted to do some more arithmetic - today's challenge - remembering long division.

HOMEWORK
For tomorrow: "Mental Math" worksheet.
For Monday Sept 13th: Finish "Yellow Book" Pretest worksheet.

P.S. A sweet new year to those celebrating Rosh Hashanah, and a joyful Eid to those celebrating the end of Ramadan.

Welcome Back Class 8-8!

A new year has begun!

Ms. Gesner was thrilled to see that 26 of her favourite students ended up in 8-8.


Today's class involved doing some warm-up calcul8ing - a review of basic addition and multiplication.

Students discussed how they add and discovered that they do it in different ways.

1) Some students are "memorizers" who have basic facts memorized.

2) Others are "topper-uppers" who do addition by figuring out how to make groups of ten. (They 'top-up' the first number to get ten, and see what's left over - 8+5 is 8 +2+3 = 10+3 = 13)

3) Others are "finger counters" - who are always wiggling their fingers as they calculate

4) Others are "visualizers" - who make pictures in their head.

So long as your method is ACCURATE and FAST, there's no need to change. However, in trying other methods you may find one that is faster. Experiment!


As members of class 8-8 didn't have agendas, Ms. Gesner made the radical decision not to assign homework. Apologies to all students who were disappointed.

Persuasive Speech.

By now you should have:
1) Chosen an interesting topic (Speech Planning Sheet #1)
2) Narrowed down your topic to one clear argument that you are trying to make. (Speech Planning Sheet #2)
3) Done an outline of your main points (Speech #3).

Now it is time to write you speech!

Due Monday June 7th at the latest.

Term 3 Vocab & Spelling Final TEST

The final test on lists #9-#13 will be WEDNESDAY MAY 19th, 10:25am EST

Answers for List #13

1) C. Obscure and recondite both mean unclear or difficult to understand. (I don't expect you to know the word recondite though)
2) A. Virtue and righteousness mean goodness. Mayhem, chaos, bedlam and pandemonium all mean disorder.
3) D. Furtively and covertly both mean secretly.
4) B. Ravenous and famished both mean hungry.
5) Disinclination is a synonym for antipathy in the same way that aversion and animosity are synonms
6) Chaos is the opposite of Order in the same way as evil is the opposite of rectitude (goodness)
7) Stealthily
8) Aversion

WEST SIDE STORY QUESTIONS DUE TOMORROW (Wed May 4th)
(also bring your pink sheets)

Answers to List 12 Vocabulary

List 12 Words:
Remote (as an adjective)
Mayhem (noun)
Trio (noun)
Reverie (noun)
Moot (adjective)
Ceasing (to cease = verb)
Blanched (adjective)
Convalescence (noun)

#1) E Remote and 'far away' are synonyms
#2) A Mayhem and pandemonium are synonyms
#3) C Ceasing and relenting are synonyms
#4) C Convalesce and recuperate are synonyms
#5) E Blanching causes whitening in the same way as Convalescing causes healing
#6) C Remote and near are opposites - Anarchy and order are also opposites
#7) D "The governor warned that if the tax was levied on the colonists, chaos and possibly rebellion would ensue and all laws aimed at keeping order would be moot (irrelevant)."
#8) Julius Ceasar conquered distant lands stretching far north into remote areas of Gaul and Britain.

Writing and Poetry competitions

Enter your work into Canadian writing contests for teens for Bonus points
Some options can be found at:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/susanio/WWCcomp.html#contests

Let me know if you find information about other contests.

Simply show me a completed entrance package for the points towards your Term 3 Writing Mark.

Answers for List #10 Vocabulary Questions - Test tomorrow

page 5

#1 B (callous means insensitive)
#2 E (relentless means endless)

#3 D (Inexorably means unstoppably)

#4 A ( Prophetic means visionary)

#5 D (Prophetic and visionary are synonyms, just like callous and insensitive)

#6 A (Prescient and Prophetic are synonyms, just like incessant and constant)

#7 C Inexorably

#8 B Prophetic

page 7

#1 B (Impending and Imminent are synonyms)

#2 A (Tawny means yellowish-brown. Ochre is yellowish-brown)

#3 D (Impasse and stalemate both mean a dead end)

#4 C (Prominent means noticeable)

#5 C (Impasse and deadlock are synonyms)

#6 A (Callous is the opposite of considerate, just like prominent and noticeable are opposites)

#7 E (Imminent means about to happen)

#8 B (Deadlock and Impasse are synonyms)

Short Story and Rubric - due Friday April 9th (Day 5)

Your short story is due Friday.

The following rubric will help you improve your story. You need to fill it out and hand it in with your story.

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/0876289383_119_120_121_122.pdf

Spelling and Vocabulary - List 10

List #10
Sentences and Multiple Choice questions handout - due Wednesday April 6th;
Test - Thursday April 7th

1. Callous (as an adjective) 2. Relentless (adj) 3. Inexorably (adj)
4. Extraordinarily (adj/adv) 5. Toll (of a bell) 6. Wizened (adj)
7. Prophetic (adj) 8. Quantifiable (adj) 9. Impending (adj)
10. Tribute (noun) 11. Tawny (adj) 12. Mimic (verb)
13. Impasse (noun) 14. Glum (adj) 15. Prominent (adj)

Week of Mar 29th

As many students are absent today here's what is happening this week.

Monday Mar 29th
Peer Evaluation of Fear Anthologies & Completion of Self-Evaluation

Tues Mar 30th
** Bring Vocabulary List 10 Handouts & Composition notebook
Mini-Lesson on prefixes & suffixes
Writing (Short story or 4 paragraphs on one topic)

Thurs April 1st
Computer Lab - Short story, 4 paragraphs or other writing

FEAR Anthology - Contents

FEAR ANTHOLOGY CONTENTS:
1) A Cover Page
- includes title, name, date, class

2) Awake Dream
- Revised copy

3) Fear Poems
- At least 4 poems, in 3 or more formats

4) Artistic Response to one of the short stories read in class
- A piece of visual art depicting scenes or themes. Any medium (pastel, charcoal, paint, collage, coloured pencil etc.)

5) A timeline of one of the short stories
- A list of main events from the story in chronological order

6) A suspenseful short story (Extension possible to Wed Mar 31st, 10% bonus if submit by March 10th)
- An original short story involving fear or suspense (300-1000 words)

**NEW** DUE DATE: Thursday March 11th in class

Spelling/Vocabulary deadlines changed

The Spelling & Vocabulary test scheduled for Tuesday Feb 16th will be moved to the next Day 3, Thursday February 25th. Sentences and definitions will be checked by Ms. Gesner Wednesday February 24th (Day 2).

5 days left to earn bonus points for Term 2

Want bonus points for Reading? Finish Reading your Red Maple books and post a reaction to the Red Maple website.

http://winonaredmaple.pbworks.com/

2% Bonus per book read and posted on the blog before Tuesday Feb 9th; 9pm (up to a maximum of 10%).

No blog post = No points. Deadline is final. Happy Reading!



Interested in bonus points for WRITING? Come play Scrabble, Wednesday and/or Thursday at lunch in Room 11.

Up to 5% bonus based on attendance up to Feb 10th.

List 9 Spelling and Vocabulary

List 9 Spelling and Vocabulary

Sentences and definitions due: Friday February 12th (Day 2)

Test: Tuesday February 16th (Day 3, the day after Family Day)



For each word provide:

1. Word function (noun, adjective, verb etc.)

2. A Definition that you understand
Try http://www.wordreference.com/ "English Only"

3. A sentence.

HINT: All of the words come from the short stories in your FEAR duotangs. You can use these sentences but be sure you use quotation marks to show that you are quoting.
The Tell-Tale Heart: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~Hyper/POE/telltale.html
The Monkey’s Paw: http://gaslight.mtroyal.ca/mnkyspaw.htm


1. acute
2. foresight
3. sagacity (think sage)
4. stifle
5. fury
6. shriek (noun and verb)
7. vehemently
8. hypocritical
9. sinister
10. wail (noun and verb)

Wed Jan 27th - You should be working on...

1) Editing AWAKE DREAM for Content & Mechanics.
Content - Does my writing get straight to the point and stay focused? (no jumping around)
Mechanics -
a) Choose a consistent verb tense (present or past)
I walk, I look, I see
I walked, I looked, I saw
b) Check for RUN-ON SENTENCES (too many verbs) & SENTENCE FRAGMENTS (no verb)
c) Check punctuation, especially in dialog. Rules for quotation marks etc.:
http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/writingexercises/qt/punctuation.htm

2) Drafting quality poetry on the subject of FEAR - You will eventually need at least 4 different poems in 3 or more formats. **Minimum 2 poems due Friday**
Sol poetry magazine gives you guidelines for 45 possible formats including Haiku, Diamante, Found, Free Verse, Wave, Limerick and Cinquain at:
http://pages.prodigy.net/sol.magazine/pl01form.htm

You can also try TWITTER POETRY - Free verse poetry using no more than 140 characters (use the Word Count function in the Tools menu of Microsoft Word)

TWIHAIKU - Same as above, but 5 syllables / 7 syllables / 5 syllables
http://twitter.com/HAIKU


3) Spelling List 8 Sentences & Definitions. (Due next Wednesday, Feb 3rd)
http://www.askoxford.com/


4) Begin working on a suspenseful short story.


DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START?? WORDS THAT YOU SAID EVOKE FEAR: Snakes, Clowns, Light at the end of the tunnel, Spiders, Monsters, Loneliness, Being buried alive, Dogs, Axe-Murderers, Blood, Spirits/Poltergeists, Pigs, Insects, Ventriloquist Dummies, Toe Jam and more...

LIST 8 SPELLING AND VOCABULARY

For each word list provide
a) the part of speech (ex. noun, verb, adverb, adjective)
b) a definition that you understand
c) a sentence

1.hoping 2.hopping 3.writing 4.creepy 5.petrified 6.goblin 7.warlock
8.horrifying 9.frightening 10.cadaver

Spelling Test Friday. 40 words, no definitions.

Graded List: reason, perfect, friend, getting, nearly, desire, arrange, written, search, popular, interest, pleasant, therefore, folks, celebration, minute, divide, necessary, height, reference, career, character, separate, committee, annual, principle, immense, judg(e)ment, acquaintance, discipline, lieutenant
Term 1 Review: Session, parallel, physician, pneumonia, existence, thwart, typify, onomatopoeia, banshee, kerosene.

Monday Jan 18th - Computer Lab!

FEAR is a rich territory for writers. Over the next weeks we'll be working on an ANTHOLOGY that will bring together different forms of writing and visual art tied into the topic of FEAR.

You will be expected to:
* come up with original ideas for poetry, stories and artistic responses
* write using vivid language that evokes the 5 senses
* provide useful feedback to your classmates to help them revise their writing
* use editing and proofreading skills
* publish your work in an attractive format using fonts, layout and graphics effectively

(We will return to your FEAR IN THE MEDIA brainstorming using SmartIdeas in late February or early March. Make sure you do not lose your brainstorm as you will have to do it over again.)


TODAY: You have a choice of 2 activities.

1) Type up your AWAKE DREAM

2) Draft some poetry on the subject of FEAR - You will eventually need at least 4 different poems in 3 or more formats.

Sol poetry magazine gives you guidelines for 45 possible formats including Haiku, Diamante, Found, Free Verse, Wave, Limerick and Cinquain at:
http://pages.prodigy.net/sol.magazine/pl01form.htm


Need a new idea for 2010?? -
TWITTER POETRY - Free verse poetry using no more than 140 characters (use the Word Count function in the Tools menu of Microsoft Word)

TWIHAIKU - Same as above, but 5 syllables / 7 syllables / 5 syllables
http://twitter.com/HAIKU

TWO BONUS POINT OPPORTUNITIES

Interested in some bonus points for Term 2 reading?

Read Canadian fiction and non-fiction.

What do you need to do? Read Red Maple books and post a reaction to the Red Maple website. http://winonaredmaple.pbworks.com/

2% Bonus per book read and posted on the blog before Friday Feb 12th (up to a maximum of 10%). No blog post = No points. Deadline is final.

Happy Reading!


Interested in bonus points for WRITING?
Come play Scrabble, Wednesdays at lunch in Room 11.
Up to 5% bonus based on attendance up to Feb 10th.

Happy Scrabs!

Awake Dream - Rough Draft due Thursday Jan 14th.

In December we did a visualization and writing exercise based on FEAR. The exercise was to listen to the following paragraph in a dark, dark room, and write whatever comes to mind. The writing should be highly evocative (evoking sights, sounds, smells, emotions...).

The air is hot and stuffy and I can see absolutely nothing. The blackness surrounds me and tries to steal all of the air from my breathing body. I don't like the darkness because it feels like someone could sneak up on me at anytime. I want to call out to see if someone else is in the room but I'm afraid. It feels like someone has their hand over my mouth. I try to struggle away from them because their hand is stinky and doesn't really make me feel very good. But really there's no hand, so I'm ok. I see a red light in the distance. It is tiny. I move towards it because I don't like the dark. It smells. I can hear only a little bit of static and I wonder where it is coming from. I reach the door and...

Schedule for Creative Presentations (updated)

Wednesday Jan 6th - Nathan, Brian, Jacob, Quinn, Winnie,

Thursday Jan 7th (in the Library) - Sarah, Geneva, Elijah, Jane

Friday Jan 8th - Camille, Aidan, Kier, Ethan, John, Mark, Hayley,

Speeches and monologues should be memorized. Visual art pieces should be completely finished.

Please arrive prepared!