More MCA?

Yep. Today we reviewed the answers to the practice test. Major lesson for the day: take your time, going back and forth between questions and text to be sure that you understand the question and are choosing the MOST APPOPRIATE answer.

Tomorrow we'll do more with poetry. Homework: Create a four-square in your notebook with the following information:

Upper left square: Image

Upper right square: Find the definition of the term in the context of poetry and cite your source

POETIC TERM IN CENTER

Lower left square: Synonyms or a paraphrased
definition (use your own words)

Lower right square: Write an original line of poetry to illustrate the poetic term or find an
example of the poetic term in the poems already studied in class.


I assigned poetic terms. If you were absent, complete your four-square for the following term: alliteration

The MCA, continued

I began the hour by reviewing the test vocabulary (see previous post). Then, we spent most of the hour taking portions of a sample MCA test. Tomorrow we'll go through the test, question-by-question, to see how you did and try to understand the questions and justifications for the correct answers.

After the sample test, students began working on reading Elie Wiesel's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech and writing test questions from it. This work is due tomorrow.

**If you were absent, you need to pick up the homework--2 yellow sheets--from the side table in the classroom upon your return to school.

THE MCA

Today we began our preparation for the MCA exam. We discussed test-taking tips, and covered the following vocabulary:

Fact = known to exist; a truth
Opinion = a personal view
Main idea = main point of the text
Supporting Ideas = the information that adds details to the main idea
Definition in Context = words that precede or follow a specific word, usually influencing its meaning
Point of View = the way things are viewed or believed
Infer = to hint; imply; suggest
Tone = a particular style or manner of expression
Mood = the atmosphere or prevailing feeling
Figurative language = words that create vivid pictures in your mind
Connotation = associations that the word calls to mind
Irony = surprising contradictions
Imagery = descriptions that re-create sensory experiences (e.g. sights, sounds, smells, tastes)


If you were absent, you must choose two words from the list above and create two four-squares on a piece of loose notebook paper (front and back). Your squares follow this format:

Upper left square: Draw an image Upper right square:
with which you associate the word Definition in your own words


Center: Word and definition
(from above)

Lower left square: synonyms Lower right square: create a test
question about Night that uses the
word

Absent (4/6) students: Submit your 4-square vocabulary tomorrow.

All students: you are responsible for the above vocabulary!!

Have a Great Break!!

Today we had our final discussion of Night. It was wonderful to see how much you all engaged with the text!

If you were absent, we did the following--in notebooks on a page entitled, "Night Final Discussion":

1. Find the passage that you think is most important to the text. Explain your choice.

2. Find the passage that made you cry (or made you want to cry). Why is this passage so poignant?

3. Find the most beautifully crafted sentence in the book. What makes it so?

Also, I have not yet checked 3rd quarter blogs. Late blog posts are MUCH BETTER than missing blog posts. If you are still missing posts, get them done--quickly!!

Have a relaxing, fun, amazing break!!

Night Falls on Quarter 3

After I collected research papers today, we took the Night exam.

Homework: Night Study Guide

Tomorrow we'll spend the hour discussing the book.

FINAL RESEARCH PAPER DUE TOMORROW!!

Today we did peer-evaluation of the research paper rough drafts. Then--if there was time left--individuals worked on reading and completing the study guide.

The final research paper is due tomorrow. The paper must include a correctly formatted works cited page. Finish reading Night--the exam is tomorrow. There WILL BE vocabulary on the exam! I suggest you get as much of the study guide done for tomorrow as you can since you will be allowed to use it for a portion of the exam time. The study guide is not officially due until Friday.

To Guide Your Studies

Today I reviewed the requirements for tomorrow. They are:

Complete rough draft including works cited page. The works cited page should contain three sources; thus three sources should be cited in the paper. Please use the Online Writing Lab link in the previous post to see sample works cited pages, sample papers, and explanations of MLA rules.

After discussing the rough draft, we worked on reading Night and completing the study guide. The Night exam will be given on Thursday. The study guide is due on Friday (or you are welcome to turn it in on Thursday). If you are leaving early for your spring break destination, the Night exam should be taken before you leave--see me to arrange an early administration of the exam.