First Semester

 

First Semester Unit 1: Short stories Unit 2: Novels Unit 3: Drama

 

Unit 1: Short stories

 

Week ending Sept. 7, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: 7th grade orientation
• Wed: Intro and syllabus
• Thur: Bring Currents in Fiction / HW: "The Open Window"
• Fri: Library orientation / HW: Summer reading questions

 

Week ending Sept. 14, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: We wrote in our journals for the first time today. Then there was a surprise binder check. / HW: read "The Most Dangerous Game"
• Wed: no class
• Thur: no school
• Fri: no school

 

Shana tova!

 

Week ending Sept. 21, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: We wrote in our journals (about being swept up by a tornado) and then we worked on questions about "The Most Dangerous Game" / HW: Even/odd questions due tomorrow.
• Wed: You will take the diagnostic test in Correct Writing. Please don't study for this. It won't be graded.
• Thur: no class
• Fri: no class

 

Week ending Sept. 28, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: We wrote in our journals and then read from them. I was very impressed by your creativity. We reviewed the answers from the Correct Writing diagnostic test, and then (in pairs) you completed the first exercise on nouns and pronouns.
• Wed: no class
• Thur: no school
• Fri: no school

 

Week ending Oct. 5, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: no class
• Wed: no class
• Thur: no school
• Fri: no school

 

Week ending Oct. 12, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: Begin Vocab Unit 1
• Wed: Read "I'm Coming In" and complete study questions / Defined "foreshadowing"
• Thur: Vocab Unit 1 Due / Complete "I'm Coming In" study questions in class
• Fri: Vocab Quiz #1

 

Week ending Oct. 19, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: no class (Mr. H was sick)
• Wed: Blue Hills Fieldtrip
• Thur: We learned Freitag's Triangle and reviewed story elements in the context of his plot diagram model (see below).
• Fri: We continued reading "The Red-Headed League." Finish reading the story for homework.

 

 

Week ending Oct. 26, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: We took a short quiz on "The Red-Headed League" by Arthur Conan Doyle. I returned your paragraph outlines. We reviewed the essay assignment. Then I gave you some time to work on Vocabulary Workshop Unit 2.
• Wed: We corrected Vocab Unit 2. Then we review "The Red-Headed League," which some of you hadn't finished.
• Thur: Essay outline is due. (see example below)./ We will read "All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury and complete study questions.
• Fri: Vocab Quiz #2

 

SAMPLE OUTLINE

 

I. Introduction: Dr. Block is a History teacher at Maimonides School. She teaches seventh and eleventh grade History. In her classes, she covers material on various periods in world history. This is her upteenth year teaching at Maimonides. She has taught junior and senior high school for the last umpteen years. Dr. Block is industrious, caring, and demanding.

 

II. Dr. Block is industrious.

A. Supporting detail #1

 

B. Supporting detail #2

 

III. As hard as she works, Dr. Block takes the time to care about her students.

A. Supporting detail #1

 

B. Supporting detail #2

 

IV. One of the ways that Dr. Block shows that she cares about her students is by making a lot of demands on them. She cares that that they learn a lot.

A. Supporting detail #1

 

B. Supporting detail #2

 

V. Conclusion: You really should take a History class taught by Dr. Block before you graduate from Maimonides. Because Dr. Block is so experienced and so approachable, you will be glad that you had her as a teacher.

 

 

Week ending Nov. 2, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: We will read "The Necklace" together. Then I will give you time to work on Vocab Unit 3.
• Wed: We will correct Vocab Unit 3.
• Thur: Essay rough draft is due. I will be on the Walden Pond fieldtrip, but you must still place the paper (with outline) in my box.
• Fri: Vocab Quiz #3

 

Week ending Nov. 9, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: We wrote stories together. Then we worked on the Vocab Review Unit. / HW: complete exercises through p.45
• Wed: no school
• Thur: We worked on the Vocab Review Unit. I handed back your rough drafts.
• Fri: no class

 

Unit 2: Novels

 

Week ending Nov. 16, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: no school
• Wed: We will correct the Vocab Review Unit. Then I will have you practice revising sentences.
• Thur: We will begin reading Call of the Wild together. Bring the novel to class with you.
• Fri: Character Essay Final Draft is due. / HW: Call of the Wild, Chapter 1

 

Week ending Nov. 23, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: grammar quiz ? HW: Call of the Wild, Chapter 2
• Wed: no class
• Thur: no school (Thanksgiving)
• Fri: no school (Thanksgiving)

 

Week ending Nov. 30, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: We reviewed some common writing mistakes. Then we began reading Call of the Wild Chapter 3. / HW: Vocab Unit 4
• Wed: I returned your Final Drafts. We continued reading Chapter 3.
• Thur: Correct Vocab Unit 4 / We finished Chapter 3 and the Analyzing Literature questions #1-5.
• Fri: Vocab Quiz 4 / HW: Read Call of the Wild Chapters 4-5

 

Week ending Dec. 7, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: Complete Chapters 4-5 questions in class.
• Wed: Complete Vocab Unit 5 in class
• Thur: Correct Vocab Unit 5 / HW: Read Call of the Wild Chapters 6-7
• Fri: Vocab Quiz 5 / HW: Complete Chapters 6-7 questions

 

Week ending Dec. 14, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: Review Call of the Wild Chapters 6-7 / Begin Vocab Unit 6
• Wed: Work on Vocab Unit 6 / Write paragraph about Call of the Wild in class
• Thur: Correct Vocab Unit 6 / Revise pargraph in library / Complete subject-predicate handout
• Fri: Vocab Quiz 6 / Revised paragraph due / If you haven't completed the paragraph, this is homework.

 

Week ending Dec. 21, 2007

• Mon: -
• Tues: What is poetry? We read "Knoxville, Tennessee" and answered questions
• Wed: no class
• Thur: Subject-predicate handout / HW: Read "Shovels" and answer questions
• Fri: Group story writing

 

Happy Holidays!

 

Week ending Jan. 4, 2008

• Mon: no school
• Tues: no school
• Wed: Subject-predicate practice quiz / HW: Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 1
• Thur: Subject-predicate handout / Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 1
• Fri: HW: Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 1-2 questions

 

Week ending Jan. 11, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Begin Vocabulary Workshop Unit 7 in class / HW: Read Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 3
• Wed: Review Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 1-2 questions / HW: Read Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 4
• Thur: Vocab Unit 7 is due / Complete Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 3-4 questions in class / HW: Study vocabulary
• Fri: Vocab Quiz 7 / HW: Call of the Wild paragraph revision

 

Week ending Jan. 18, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Call of the Wild paragraph revision due / Begin Vocabulary Workshop Unit 8 in class / HW: Read Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 5
• Wed: Define "red herring" in class / HW: Read Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 6
• Thur: Vocab Unit 8 is due / Complete Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 5-6 questions in class
• Fri: Vocab Quiz 8 / HW: Email your favorite journal entry to Mr. Hartt jhartt@maimonides.org

 

Week ending Jan. 25, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Begin Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 7 in class / HW: Finish the chapter and define 5 words from your reading.
• Wed: Watch a scene from the film and discuss plot elements. / HW: Read Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 8
• Thur: Complete Hound of the Baskervilles Chapter 7-8 questions in class. Complete grammar exercise #4. / HW: Study 15 vocab words Hound Vocab review A.doc
• Fri: Hound Vocab Quiz A / HW: Read Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 9

 

Week ending Feb 1, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 9 pop quiz. Review elements of fiction. / HW: Read Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 10 and define 5 words from your reading.
• Wed: Complete Ch. 9-10 study questions in class. Then complete grammar exercise (Correct Writing, ex. 11) / HW: Read Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 11
• Thur: Review elements of fiction and Plot Diagram project. / HW: Study 15 vocab words Hound Vocab review B.doc
• Fri: Hound Vocab Quiz B / HW: Read Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 12 and answer study questions

 

Week ending Feb. 8, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Review Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 11-12 study questions. / Read Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 13 and define 5 words from your reading.
• Wed: Grammar exercise (direct/indirect objects) / Read Hound of the Baskervilles Ch. 14 and complete study questions
• Thur: Review vocab list together. / HW: Study 15 vocab words Hound Vocab review C.doc
• Fri: Hound Vocab Quiz C / HW: Plot Diagram project  Plot Diagram Project.doc 

 

Week ending Feb. 15, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Hound of the Baskervilles Plot Diagram is due. Be ready to present your poster to the class. We will continue working in Correct Writing.
• Wed: Hound of the Baskervilles film
• Thur: Vocab Unit 9 is due
• Fri: Vocab Quiz 9  (rescheduled)

 

ENJOY YOUR FEBRUARY VACATION!

We will next read A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Please bring the book with you to class after break.

 

Unit 3: Drama

 

Week ending Feb. 29, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Vocab Quiz 9
• Wed: Vocab Review Units 7-9 / Begin reading A Raisin in the Sun together
• Thur: Guest teacher
• Fri: Vocab Quiz Review 7-9

 

Week ending Mar. 7, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Jeopardy Day / HW: See attachment Hound exam essay question.doc
• Wed: Hound of the Baskervilles Test
• Thur: Review
• Fri: Read A Raisin in the Sun scene 1 together / HW: A Raisin in the Sun (up to page 28)

 

Week ending Mar. 14, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Time to work on Vocab Unit 10
• Wed: FInish A Raisin in the Sun scene 1 together
• Thur: Vocab Unit 10 due
• Fri: Vocab Quiz 10

 

Week ending Mar. 21, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Group acting: A Raisin in the Sun Act 1.1 / Drama Unit.doc
• Wed: Group acting: A Raisin in the Sun Act 1.2 / HW: Act 2.1
• Thur: no class
• Fri: no school

 

Week ending Mar. 28, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Quiz Act 2.1 / HW: A Raisin in the Sun Act 2.2
• Wed: A Raisin in the Sun Act 2.2 / HW: Vocab Unit 11
• Thur: Vocab Unit 11 due / Blocking opening scene from Hamlet
• Fri: Vocab Quiz 11

 

Week ending Apr. 4, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: A Raisin in the Sun Act 2.3 / Miming exercise
• Wed: A Raisin in the Sun Act 3 / Voice
• Thur: Group work / Improvisation
• Fri: Group work / Production

 

Week ending Apr. 11, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Annotation due
• Wed: Blocking due
• Thur: Rehearsal
• Fri: Finish rehearsal

 

Week ending Apr. 18, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Performances
• Wed: Performances
• Thur: Sidney Portier film
• Fri: No school (Pesach break)

 

ENJOY PESACH!

 

Week ending May 2, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Finish performances
• Wed: Work on Vocab Unit 12 while watching Portier film
• Thur: Finish Portier film / Correct Vocab Unit 12
• Fri: Vocab Quiz 12 / Begin Of Mice & Men  Of Mice and Men Questions.DOC

   

Tuesday's test: Drama terms.doc

 

Week ending May 9, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Drama terms test
• Wed: Of Mice & Men Ch 1 questions are due
• Thur: no class
• Fri: Of Mice & Men Ch 2 questions are due / HW: Ch. 3 questions

 

Week ending May 16, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Of Mice & Men Ch 3 questions are due
• Wed: Grammar handout (good vs. well)
• Thur: Vocab Unit 13 due / Correct Of Mice & Men Ch. 4 questions
• Fri: Vocab Quiz 13 / HW: Ch. 5 questions

 

Week ending May 23, 2008

• Mon: -
• Tues: Of Mice & Men Ch 5 questions are due
• Wed: Of Mice & Men Ch 6 questions are due
• Thur: Vocab Unit 14 due / HW: "Gold-mounted guns" from Currents in Fiction
• Fri: Vocab Quiz 14 / HW: "The Necklace" (odd questions)