Writing 2 Class Notes -- Week 2 (January 23)

Greetings!

We had another full day in class.  The Quick Write is always our first task, following prayer, of course.  Last semester I had the students give me some ideas for quick writes, and I will be using those throughout this semester.  The prompts are numbered, and I call on various students to choose a number.  This week's prompts were #245 -- What would happen if a car going the speed of light turned its lights on? and #168 - Write about colors/your favorite color.  As always, when students don't feel inspired by the prompts, they can write about anything else that is one their minds.

Our Words of the Day for this week were also chosen by the students.  For most of the class times, I will have a couple students choose words from my book Foreign Words and Phrases.  Some times we will try to guess what a word means, and some times we'll discuss how the original Latin or Greek word arrived at it's current meaning.  To illustrate this point, I chose lasagna as one of this week's words.  Lasagna comes from the Latin word lasanum, which means "chamber pot."  This layered one-dish meal was probably cooked in a pot similar in shape to the chamber pot that early Romans used.  

Our words:

coup-- fr. Greek kolaphos, "a blow, buffet, slap, punch," -- a sudden, decisive act

licit-- fr. Latin licitus, "permitted, lawful" -- Something that is allowed by the law; usually used more often in its opposite, "illicit"

lasagna -- fr. Latin lasanum, "chamber pot" -- a baked Italian dish consisting of wide strips of pasta cooked and layered with meat or vegetables, cheese, and tomato sauce.

Students are to be working on their Rough Drafts of their Mystery Stories.  For inspiration, they can go to the class blog and read some of the stories listed on the right side of the page.  Some of the students have warned me that their stories are getting quite long.  I am looking forward to reading their papers.

We have started reading our stories from  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.  For discussion of the first two stories, I divided the class into small groups and assigned the following roles:  discussion leader, a synopsis giver for each story, clue finder, Sherlock describer, and quote explainer.  Because the class is large, whole class discussions do not always give everyone an opportunity to engage, making small group discussions a greater necessity.  As I circulated and joined in the discussions, I was pleased with how focused and thoughtful the comments were.  After the small groups, we talked about what made for a good small group discussion.  We discussed how to make the most of a discussion if you came unprepared, how to respectfully disagree, and how to add meaningful comments.  For next week, they are to read "Five Orange Pips" and "The Speckled Band."  They do NOT have to do discussion questions for these, but they will need to be ready to discuss them.  One student asked if questions could be done for extra credit, and that would be OK.

We were able to spend more time with our Grammar portion of the class.  We're working on commas with compound and complex sentences.  We started one in class.  For the stapled worksheets on Complex sentences, the students only need to do Practice 1 & 2.

Have a great weekend.  Stay safe on the roads!

Blessings,

Mrs. Prichard

Assignments for Next Week

-- Signed Spring Class Policies

-- Read "Five Orange Pips" and "The Speckled Band"  (no study guide questions)

-- Mystery Rough Draft

-- Grammar Worksheets:  

     -- Commas & Complex Sentences

     -- Complex Sentence Practice

Links for This Week

Class Notes

Sherlock Holmes Study Guide

Writing 2 Spring Google Drive folder

Commas and Complex Sentences

Complex Sentence Practice

Writing 2 Spring Words of the Day 

Mystery Story

Commas & Complex Sentences

Follow the directions for each sentence.

COMPLEX SENTENCES

Add commas where they are needed.

1.       She did not eat the cookies nor did she chew the gum that Jane made for her.

2.       I am going to bed to read the book  that Elizabeth wrote.

3.       Paul is going to the movie  and may not come home until late.

4.       Did Mary go along with her parents to the game?

Put the independent clause in parentheses and underline the fragment. Insert commas where they are needed.

5.       George could not find his son’s bat or his glove that he had just bought for him.

6.       Because she wasn’t very hungry Julia only ate half of her sandwich.

7.       I was tired of doing homework even though I had only worked for fifteen minutes.

8.       Sue brought her books to class but Janet left hers in the car because she tends to be forgetful.

COMPOUND/COMPLEX SENTENCES

Insert commas where needed. Underline any subordinate/dependent clauses

1.       She wanted to go to bed and read her new book but she didn’t realize that it had fallen behind the sofa.

2.       Jack is going to the movie about World War II so he may be home late because it a three hour long movie.

3.       Denise was upset that she could not go to London but she chose to save her money in order to pay for college.

4.       I told her not to eat the fresh bread but she didn’t pay attention because she was so hungry.

Put the independent clause in parentheses and underline the subordinate/dependent clauses.  Add commas.

Note:  A compound sentence has two independent clauses.

5.       Chris had tried to find his puppy but it had run around the house and hid under a bush.

6.       My father told me that he was proud that I had improved my grades and I celebrated with pizza.

7.       Peter found a part-time job around the corner so it was easy for him to get to work.

8.       I am planning to take the children to the park so that we can have a picnic because their father has the day off.

Writing 2 Spring Words of the Day

Week 1

Today's words were for those little bits and pieces that we might simply call "thingamajigs" or "whatchamacallits."

meme -- fr. Greek mimeme; to imitate -- a digital image combined with text to express a cultural comment.

pintle -- the pin or bolt that is used in hinge.

ferrule -- the metal cap on the end of an umbrella

aglet -- the cover of the end of a shoe lace

Week 2
coup-- fr. Greek kolaphos, "a blow, buffet, slap, punch," -- a sudden, decisive actlicit-- fr. Latin licitus, "permitted, lawful" -- Something that is allowed by the law; usually used more often in its opposite, "illicit"lasagna -- fr. Latin lasanum, "chamber pot" -- a baked Italian dish consisting of wide strips of pasta cooked and layered with meat or vegetables, cheese, and tomato sauce.


Week 3

zenana-- fr. Hindi, zan, "wife"   -- a part of a house in which women and girls are secluded; harem

caddy -- fr.French, cadet, "chief, captain"; fr. Latin capitellum, "small head" -- a rack, container, or device for storing small items; i.e. a tea caddy; also a person who carries a golf players equipment

triskaidekaphobia -- fr. Greek, triskaideka, "thirteen"-- a fear of the number 13.

Week 4

acronym -- fr. Greek, akron, "or tip" -- an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a word (e.g. NASA, SCUBA)

aptronym -- fr. Latin, aptus, "fitting" -- a person's name that is regarded as amusingly appropriate to their occupation (e.g. a florist named Katie Gardener)

capitonym -- fr. Latin caput, "head" -- a word that changes its meaning (and sometimes pronunciation) when it is capitalized.  (e.g. Concord/ concord; Polish/polish)

homonym -- fr. Greek homos, "same" -- a word spelled and pronounced like another but has a different origin and meaning  (e.g. the small flying bat and the baseball bat.)  Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings, e.g. sea and see.

pseudonym -- fr. Greek pseudos, "false" -- having or using a false name, a pen name, or an alias.  For example, Mark Twain was a pseudonym for Samuel Clemens.



Week 5

coup de main -- French, coup de main, "stroke of hand" -- a sudden surprise attack

xertz-- Urban Dictionary -- to eat or drink extremely quickly, heartily, enthusiastically

eponym -- Greek, epi, "called after," nym, "named"   -- a person after whom a discovery, invention, place, etc., is named or thought to be named.  Examples:  Kleenex, chapstick, sandwich, cardigan.

plagiarism -- Latin, plagiarius, "kidnapper" -- a group of pirates known to kidnap children -- to take someone else's writing as their own


Week 6

nekhedonia -- fr. Greek, Nike, the godess of victory, and  hedone, "pleasure"  -- the excitement and exultation of an anticipated victory

mambo-- fr. Haitian Creole, "to talk" -- a Latin American dance, similar to a rumba or cha cha.

kitsch-- fr. German "gaudy, trash" -- something that has popular or sentimental value but not of great artistic quality

Week 7Our Words of the Day dealt with fears.  I've been using a book by Richard Lederer, Crazy English, for some of our words. The Greek root phobia means "fear"
acrophobia -- fr. Greek, akron, tip, heights -- a fear of high places  (by the way, the word "acrobat" has the same root, akron)
nyctophobia -- fr. Greek nux, "night" -- a fear of darkness or night
ombrophobia -- fr. Greek ombros, "storm or rain" -- fear of rain or storms (by the way, the word "umbrella" also has the same root.)
phengophobia -- origin unknown  -- fear of daylight
basophobia -- fr. Latin bas, base -- a fear of falling; a fear of standing
arachibutyrophobia -- a fear of getting peanut butter stuck on the room of your mouth
And one more
hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia -- the fear of long words

Writing 2 Class Notes -- Week 1 (January 16)

Greetings!

What a great first day!  It's always good to see everyone after a long  break.  We've added a few more to our numbers, making this a fairly large class.  

As always, we began the class with a Quick Write.  For this week I asked the students to write a letter to themselves.  Starting with "Dear Future Me,' they could write about goals, interests, or questions.  Rather than hand them in, they are to go to the Future Me website, type in their letters, and set the letters to be sent to them on January 1, 2021.

We will continue doing Words of the Day at the beginning of class.  This semester, I will focus on foreign words and phrases; unusual expressions, and Latin roots.  There will be a test at the end of the semester.  Today's words were for those little bits and pieces that we might simply call "thingamajigs" or "whatchamacallits."

meme -- fr. Greek mimeme; to imitate -- a digital image combined with text to express a cultural comment.

pintle -- the pin or bolt that is used in hinge.

ferrule -- the metal cap on the end of an umbrella

aglet -- the cover of the end of a shoe lace

Students were given a shortened version of the Class Policies that they should have you read and sign.  Reminders of class expectations is a good way to start a fresh semester.  I also made some brief comments about having a good system for keeping track of homework and for planning time wisely so that assignments get done.  

Our first Literature selections for the semester are short stories from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.  (Unfortunately something went wrong with my book order, so some of the students got pdf versions of the first two stories.  The books will be here by next week, so they will have the full collection.)  We'll be reading six stories from this book, answering study guide questions, and participating in small group and whole class discussions.  Most students really enjoy this literature unit because they've seen some versions of the Sherlock Holmes stories.  

This then leads to our first Writing assignment for the semester:  a Mystery Story!  A few years ago a group of Writing 2 students lobbied for some creative writing to be incorporated into the class, and this assignment has become a favorite.  Not all students enjoy writing fiction, so I've adjusted the parameters of the assignment.  They can write a bona fide mystery with clues and a detective, or they can write an essay about a topic that is "mysterious," which could include a scientific problem that is hard to solve or the elements of crime-solving. The students should begin work this week, and the pre-write and rough draft are due in two weeks.  (Note:  On the blog are some samples of stories from previous years.  They are on the right hand side bar.)

Our Grammar focus for this semester will be commas and other punctuation.  Last semester I polled the students, and that topic was the one that the majority of the students wanted to conquer.  Fortunately, in order to fully understand where to place commas, students will need to know a lot of other grammar topics, so they will be learning about more that where to put the small bit of punctuation.  We had time in class to work on the worksheets.

Finally, a note about our class culture.  I enjoy a lively class and encourage discussion and camaraderie among the students.  With 24 students in the class, we will probably break into small groups more often so that each student has an opportunity for his/her voice to be heard.  I will also be "cracking down" on side conversations and off-topic chatter.

Have a great weekend!  Enjoy the snow!

Mrs. Prichard

Assignments for Next Week

-- Read the handouts about the Sherlock Holmes stories

-- Read "Scandal in Bohemia" and "The Red-Headed League"

-- Answer 4 Study Guide questions

-- Mystery Pre-Write

-- Letter to Future Me

-- Grammar -- 3 worksheets about compound sentences

Links for This Week

Spring Writing 2 Technology

Class Notes

Google Folder for Spring Writing 2

     Grammar

     Literature

     Writing

Rocketbook Class Notes

My GradeBook Instructions

Class Policies

Future Me

Characteristics of a Detective Story

Sherlock Holmes Study Guide

Sherlock Holmes Quotes

Mystery Story/Essay

Comma Usage at a Glance

Names, Repetitions, etc. and Commas

Names. Repetitions, Quotations & Phrases

Names

Use a comma to set off inverted names in bibliographies, in indexes, in directories, or in other reference lists.  Use a comma to separate a name from a title or a degree that it follows.  Use a comma to separate a name from a title or degree that follows it.  A comma may or may not be used before and after Jr. and Sr. following a name.  Omit periods and commas before and after II, III, etc., with names.

Examples:

·         Jones, Roger V.                 Smith, Oscar                Prichard, James M.

·         Arthur McNally, dean of Harvard Law School

·         Nils Andersson, Ph.D

·         John Lyons, Jr. presided.  OR  John Lyons Jr. presided.

·         Henry Lord III conducted the meeting.

Do not use a comma to separate compound personal pronouns from the words they emphasize.  Omit the comma when an appositive has become part of the proper name.

Examples:

·         Bruce himself sent the telegram

·         The members themselves will make up the deficit.

·         Eric the Red came from Norway.

·         William the Conqueror is one of my ancestors.

For similar or identical words

Use a comma to separate similar of identical words standing next to each other, even when the sense or continuity does not seem to require it.

Examples:

·         What is right, is right.

·         Whenever you go, go quickly.

In direct quotations

Use a comma to set off direct quotations.  Not that no comma is needed in an indirect quotation.

Examples:

·         “Whenever I am needed,” declared the missionary, “I get there as quickly as possible.”

·         The doctor remarked, “I haven’t seen a case like this in years.

·         “Let’s do this together,” I urged.

·         The director told us that rudeness would not be tolerated.

Short Phrases

A comma should follow yes, no, why, well when one of these words is used at the beginning of a sentence.  Use a comma to set off light exclamations.

Examples:

·         Why, we expected him to win the election.

·         Well, the decision has been made, and we have to live with it.

·         No, you may not have an extension on your homework assignment.

Comma Usage at a Glance

Punctuation, one is taught, has a point: to keep up law and order. Punctuation marks are the road signs placed along the highway of our communication -- to control speeds, provide directions and prevent head-on collisions.

1.1 – Compound Sentences

Two or more sentences held together with coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) form a compound sentence.  A comma must be used before the conjunction.

1.2 – Complex Sentences

Complex sentences contain on complete sentence and at least one fragment of a sentence.  Do not separate these parts with a comma.

1.3 – Compound/Complex Sentences

A compound/complex sentence contains two or more complete thoughts joined with coordinating conjunctions along with at least one sentence fragment.  Compound sentences require commas before the conjunctions.

1.4 – Introductory Elements

Some sentences begin with phrases.  Separate these phrases from the main part of the sentence with a comma.

1.4a – Using Transitional words

            1.4b – Dependent Adverbial Phrases

1.5 – Restrictive Clauses

Some phrases or clauses limit the meaning of the words they are referring to.  Because they are necessary to the meaning of the sentence, they should not be set off with commas.  

When you use who, which, whom, when, or where, decide whether the sentence would be unclear if you omitted it.  If omitting the phrase makes the sentence unclear or changes the meaning, then that part is necessary to the sentence, and you should not use commas.

1.6 – Appositives

An appositive renames the noun or pronoun it follows.  If omitting the appositive would change the meaning of the sentence, then do not set it apart with commas.  If the “renaming” does not change the meaning, then use commas.

1.7 – Parenthetical Comments

Parenthetical comments are those which can be left out but are included to add color or personality to the sentence.

1.8 – Items in a Series

Use a comma to separate words and phrases in a series.  Present usage advocates the use of the comma before and connecting the last two words of a series; some writers, however, prefer to omit the comma before and.  This comma is called the “series comma” or the “Oxford comma.”  When etc. ends a series, it should be preceded and followed by a comma.  Use commas to separate pairs of words in a series.  Use a comma between adjectives preceding a noun when they are coordinate qualifying words.

1.9 – Names

Use a comma to set off inverted names in bibliographies, in indexes, in directories, or in other reference lists.  Use a comma to separate a name from a title or a degree that it follows.  Use a comma to separate a name from a title or degree that follows it.

Do not use a comma to separate compound personal pronouns from the words they emphasize.  Omit the comma when an appositive has become part of the proper name.

1.10 – For similar or identical words

Use a comma to separate similar of identical words standing next to each other, even when the sense or continuity does not seem to require it.

1.11 – In direct quotations

Use a comma to set off direct quotations.  Not that no comma is needed in an indirect quotation.

1.12 – Short Phrases

A comma should follow yes, no, why, well when one of these words is used at the beginning of a sentence.  Use a comma to set off light exclamations.

1.13 – In Addresses

Use a comma to set off a phrase denoting residence or positions but not before ZIP codes.  Omit the comma before the ZIP code number in an address on an envelope; place the number two spaces after the two-letter state abbreviation.

1.14 – In Dates

Use a comma in dates.  A comma may be used to separate the month from the year when the date is omitted; in some current usage, the comma between the month and year is omitted.

1.15 – In Digits

Use a comma to set off figures in groups of more than four digits.

Use a comma to separate two figures or words indicating figures in order to make their meaning clear.

Mystery Story

Write your own Holmes mystery

Using what you have learned about characteristics of a Sherlock Holmes mystery, write your own. It can be a significant mystery (someone stole my car!) or a small one (why do my socks go astray in the dryer?).  It can be funny or serious in tone. As a reminder, include some of the following: 

a. Retelling of an action sequence 
b. Holmes using deductive reasoning 
c. Holmes taking justice into his own hands 
d. Character from a foreign land with a dark past 
e. Holmes unable to solve the case 
f. Exotic murder weapon 
g. Young woman about to be married 
h. Grotesque details 
i. Crime committed

Story Guidelines

– Due dates:  Pre-Write due January 23; Rough Draft due January 30;  Final Draft due February 13

– Essay length:  500 – 900 words (between 2 and 6 pages)

– Rough drafts can be typed or hand-written, but must be double-spaced.

– Final draft format:

– Typed (if this is not possible, please let me know)

– 1 inch margins

– Name and date on the upper right hand corner

– Number the pages on the lower right hand corner

– Title centered above the text of the essay

Sherlock Holmes Quotes

“A Scandal in Bohemia”

·         You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear.

·         It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.

·         To Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman. I have seldom heard him mention her under any other name.

“The Red-Headed League”

·         I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum routine of everyday life.

·         It is quite a three pipe problem, and I beg that you won't speak to me for fifty minutes.

 “The Five Orange Pips”

·         A man should keep his little brain attic stocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and the rest he can put away in the lumber-room of his library...

·         As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both before and after.

·         It is not so impossible, however, that a man should possess all knowledge which is likely to be useful to him in his work, and this, I have endeavored in my case to do.

·         A man should keep his little brain attic stocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and the rest he can put away in the lumber-room of his library, where he can get it if he wants it.

“The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle”

·         My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people don't know.

·         On the contrary, Watson, you can see everything. You fail, however, to reason from what you see. You are too timid in drawing your inferences.

·         My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people don't know.

“The Adventure of the Speckled Band”

·         "You are Holmes, the meddler."
My friend smiled.
"Holmes, the busybody!"
His smile broadened.
"Holmes, the Scotland Yard Jack-in-office!"
Holmes chuckled heartily.

·         "When a doctor does go wrong, he is the first of criminals. He has the nerve and he has the knowledge."

·         Violence does, in truth, recoil upon the violent, and the schemer falls into the pit which he digs for another.

“The Adventure of the Copper Beeches”

·         "Data! Data! Data!" he cried impatiently. "I can't make bricks without clay."

·         The lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside.

·         "I am glad of all details," remarked my friend, "whether they seem to you to be relevant or not."

·         "Do you know, Watson," said he, "that it is one of the curses of a mind with a turn like mine that I must look at everything with reference to my own special subject. You look at these scattered houses, and you are impressed by their beauty. I look at them, and the only thought which comes to me is a feeling of their isolation and of the impunity with which crime may be committed there."

Study Guide for Sherlock Holmes Stories

“A Scandal in Bohemia”

1.      What does Sherlock Holmes think of Iren Adler?

2.      Describe Holmes’ and Watson’s situation in the beginning of the story.

3.      How does Holmes prove his intelligence?

4.      Who is the client? How does Holmes know who he is and how does he treat the client?

5.      What was Watson’s job for when they get Irene Adler’s house?

6.      How did Irene Adler outsmart Holmes?

“The Red-Headed League”

1.      Holmes lists the “obvious facts” that he deduces from Mr. Wilson’s appearance. What are they and how did Homes know?

2.      What is the only requirement needed to apply for a vacancy in the Red-Headed League? What are the benefits?

3.      Describe the work Mr. Wilson must do for the League. What exactly is it? When must he do it? What is supposedly the purpose? What happens if he leaves the office during working hours?

4.      Holmes begins to question Mr. Wilson about his assistant. List here some of the things that he learns.

5.      What detail suggests that Holmes already knows who this man is? Why does Holmes pretend to be lost and ask the way of Mr. Wilson’s assistant? What other odd thing does he do in front of Mr. Wilson’s place of business?

6.      Who are Mr. Jones and Mr. Merryweather? Who is John Clay?

“The Adventure of the Speckled Band”

1.    Why has Helen Stoner decided to visit to Sherlock Holmes at that particular time?

2.    Why is Helen Stoner afraid when she comes to see Holmes in “The Adventure of the Speckled Band”?

3.    Why does Holmes quickly suspect that Dr. Roylott is the criminal?

4.    What, if any, significance does Dr. Roylott’s interest in Indian animals have as evidence

5.    Explain which relevant clues you were able to identify in “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” and which false clues may have led you astray.

6.    Which of the five senses are used by Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery of the speckled band?

“The Five Orange Pips”

1.      What reasons does Watson give for not writing about Holmes’ cases between 1882 and 1890?

2.      What deductions does Holmes make about John Openshaw?

3.      Why does Elias Openshaw come back to England?

4.      Why does John Openshaw seek out Sherlock Holmes?  What does he want Holmes to do?

5.      How do the three Openshaw men die?

6.      How does Sherlock Holmes finally track down the killer?

Characteristics of a Detective Story

C. Hugh Holman’s A Handbook to Literature defines a detective story as “a novel or

short story in which a crime, usually a murder – the identity of the perpetrator unknown –

is solved by a detective through a logical assembling and interpretation of palpable

evidence, known as clues.”

            The first detective stories were written by Edgar Allan Poe, and Conan Doyle acknowledged their influence on his writing.  A good detective story generally follows six “unwritten rules.”  

First, the crime must be significant, worthy of the attention it receives.  Most stories involve murder, though Conan Doyle tied the majority of his crimes to greed and theft. 

Second, the detective must be in some way a memorable character.  He or she must be very intelligent, of course, unusually clever and observant, but also quirky, possessing perhaps some odd idiosyncrasies that distinguish him or her.  Kojak’s lollipop, Columbo’s crumpled raincoat, James Bond’s unruffled cool and high-tech gadgets, all of these things make the hero somehow distinct.  

Third, along with an exceptional detective, there must be an outstanding opponent, a criminal clever enough to be a match for the hero.  Solving the crime can’t be too easy. 

Fourth, because a large part of the attraction of a detective story is the opportunity for the reader to try to figure out the solution along with the detective, all suspects of the crime must be introduced early in the story, and

Fifth, all clues the detective discovers must be made available to the reader also. 

Finally, at the end of the story, the solution must seem obvious, logical, possible.  The crime must not have resulted from accident or supernatural intervention, and the detective must be able to explain all aspects of the case in a reasonable way.  A fine detective story should meet each one of these standards.

Classroom Policies Writing 2 – Spring Semester Update

 Below are brief reminders from the first semester and some new homework and attendance guidelines:

Classroom Conduct

·         Be polite and respectful of each other’s time and comments. If the teacher or a classmate is talking, listen respectfully and avoid any unnecessary conversations or interactions that would disrupt the class.  (NOTE:  This is a large class, and side conversations have a big impact on the flow of the class.)

·         Come to class prepared and with the appropriate materials (books, notebook, pens, etc.).  Turn off ALL electronic devices.  (They may be confiscated until the end of the CHAT school day.)

·         According to CHAT policies, food is not allowed in the classroom unless it’s part of a class activity; that includes lunch.  If students have not finished eating by the time class starts, they should finish it in the café/commons area before coming to class.   Beverages (e.g. coffee, water, juice, etc.) are permitted in the classroom.

Communication

·         Weekly updates will be sent that include comments about class discussions and homework.  If you are not getting these, check your Spam/Junk file and/or contact me.

·         The websites below are also helpful classroom resources:

–  Writing 2 – www.chatwriting2.blogspot.com.  The blog entries will contain the same information from the e-mail updates

–  Google Drive –Most of the handouts will be available on a shared folder in Google Drive either as Word documents or PDF files.

–  MyGradeBook – www.mygradebook.com. This is an online grade book on which I will enter the grades and scores for completed assignments.  Note:  Scores may not be immediately added to the website; feel free to contact me for any questions.

Late Homework Guidelines

·         Homework is most useful when it is completed by the due date.  Grammar worksheets and literature-related homework is not as beneficial for the student if it is done after the class has covered that topic.

·         Parents, please check that your students have a workable plan for keeping track of assignments and homework.

·         Any homework handed in more than 2 weeks late will not be scored.  For example, if a worksheet is assigned in Week 2 and due Week 3, it will not be accepted after Week 5.

·         If a student is absent due to an illness or family situation, parents should contact me.  Extensions will be given in these circumstances.

Attendance & Tardiness Guidelines

·         If a student will be absent, it helps to let me know, but this is not required.  If a student is missing from class and I haven’t heard from parents, I will contact parents and/or students to see if it is a situation for which homework extensions would be required.

·         If a student is late and arrives to class after we have started the Quick Write, he/she will lose the 5 points from that Quick Write.  If the tardiness is due to an unavoidable family situation, parents should contact me, and those points will not be subtracted.