Term 4 assignments
Blackout poetry
Bellringers
Rocket Boys scene-setter assignment:
Answer the following questions using research from the Internet and/or books:
Rocket Boys quiz 1 (honor system; please don't use your book)
Much Ado About Nothing character map
Students should map out the relationships between Shakespeare's characters in the play. Grades will be based on the depth and breadth of the connections, insights, character traits, and connections traced throughout the reading of the literature.
Rocket Boys quiz 2
Persuasive writing practice: Breadgloves
Use the 3 modes of persuasion (ethos, logos, and pathos) to try and persuade people to buy your super awesome product pictured below. You MUST include one argument for each of the three types in order to get full credit.
- Come and see me!
Bellringers
- They're on the Bellringers page (Term 3 bellringers)
Rocket Boys scene-setter assignment:
Answer the following questions using research from the Internet and/or books:
- What were the 5 top-ranked songs of 1957?
- What did computers look like in the 1950s? (Describe them)
- How did kids listen to music in the 1950s?
- Who were the big movie stars of the 1950s?
- How much would a date (2 cheeseburgers, 2 fries & 2 shakes at McDonald’s, plus a movie) cost in 1957?
- How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1957?
- What sort of gadgets could a family expect to have in their home in the 1950s?
- How are pink bathrooms & the First Lady in 1957 related?
Rocket Boys quiz 1 (honor system; please don't use your book)
- What is Sonny’s dad’s job at the mine?
- Describe the relationship between Sonny & his brother
- Who is Sonny’s high school crush?
- What inspired Sonny to start thinking bigger than Coalwood?
- What is the first object Sonny and his friends manage to shoot into the sky?
Much Ado About Nothing character map
Students should map out the relationships between Shakespeare's characters in the play. Grades will be based on the depth and breadth of the connections, insights, character traits, and connections traced throughout the reading of the literature.
Rocket Boys quiz 2
- Why does Sonny’s mom want him to build a rocket?
- What do Jim and the other football players call Sonny and his friends?
- Why does Homer’s dad cough so much?
- After blowing up his rocket, Sonny realizes the downside to living in a small town. What is it?
- Who does Sonny realize he needs to talk to in order to make his rockets actually work?
Persuasive writing practice: Breadgloves
Use the 3 modes of persuasion (ethos, logos, and pathos) to try and persuade people to buy your super awesome product pictured below. You MUST include one argument for each of the three types in order to get full credit.
Quickwrite 1: Answer both questions below
Quickwrite 2: Answer all three questions below
Much Ado About Nothing pitch assignment
1.The Tagline: A tagline is made up of 6-8 catchy, memorable words used by marketing departments to grab attention and sell your new product. It should be specific to your story and reflect the tone, but it should not give away the plot
* Basically, what would a marketing department put on the book cover or the movie poster?
2.The Logline: A logline tells WHO the story is about, WHAT the situation is, WHAT they must accomplish, WHAT stands in their way, and WHAT is on the line if they fail
3.The Theme: What is the overall message your story will communicate?
4.The Treatment: Develop and explain your new/old Much Ado About Nothing characters
* Treatments are like an outline
5.The Query Letter: A query letter is a ½ to ¾ page sales pitch that should tell the reader what is different about you or what inspired you to write your new version of Much Ado, what your story is about, and what would make people want to read more
Dear Ms. Adamson
Sadie Smith was absolutely certain of three things: (1) ghosts were indisputably real; (2) she and her three friends were some of the best (if not the most conventional) ghost hunters in Oregon; (3) her teammate Jefferson Parrish was always the scariest thing in the room—even during a paranormal investigation. In a face-off between supernatural beings and Jefferson's lack of social skills and Tim Burton-esque vibe, there really was no contest.
But ghosts—unsurprisingly—aren't great at helping to pay the rent, so when Sadie and her friends receive an anonymous letter from a mysterious client offering an undisclosed sum of money in return for finding the link between four haunted locations, it's an easy sell. Going on blind faith and a few vague instructions, the ghost hunters sets out only to see clue after clue falling into place. As they piece together a sinister mystery reaching back to the 1800s, the group starts to wonder if they're in over their heads, or if they're on the path to unraveling a love story that was buried long ago—and one that should stay buried.
Parrish is an 80,000-word new adult paranormal fiction story that combines the thrill and uncertainty of paranormal romance with the suspense, danger, and intrigue of a mystery novel. It also explores the unique experiences of the ghost hunting profession in combination with the awkwardness of new love, while showing that beauty that can be found in the unconventional inherent to both ghost hunting and a person who doesn't quite conform to societal norms.
I currently have six books--The Breakup Artist, Finding June, Chasing June, Under Zenith, Pwned, and Sugar Coated--published through various outlets, including Cedar Fort Inc. and CHBB Publishing. Finding June and Chasing June were nominated for Whitney Awards in 2013 and 2014 respectively, and I am interested in taking my writing to the next level by working with a literary agent. As a college graduate with a degree in Media Arts, I've always emphasized narrative in my writing, and through the story of Sadie, Brighton, and the Parrish cousins, I've been able to tell a tale that provides a unique take on the paranormal romance phenomenon that's sweeping the world.
I would be more than happy to send a partial or full manuscript upon your request. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Shannen Crane Camp
- How would you feel if you had to live in Orem forever, and why would you feel that way?
- How would you feel if you DID have a chance to leave Orem, but ONLY if you were a college-level athlete? Would you be out of luck? How would you react to this reality?
Quickwrite 2: Answer all three questions below
- How would you feel if — when you grow up — you were forced to have the same job as your dad?
- What makes a person strong?
- What keeps people from giving up in tough situations?
Much Ado About Nothing pitch assignment
1.The Tagline: A tagline is made up of 6-8 catchy, memorable words used by marketing departments to grab attention and sell your new product. It should be specific to your story and reflect the tone, but it should not give away the plot
* Basically, what would a marketing department put on the book cover or the movie poster?
- “Houston, we have a problem”
- “One dream. Four Jamaicans. Twenty below zero”
- “There are 3.7 trillion fish in the ocean. They’re looking for one”
2.The Logline: A logline tells WHO the story is about, WHAT the situation is, WHAT they must accomplish, WHAT stands in their way, and WHAT is on the line if they fail
- Basic template: Inciting incident, main character description/intro, character goal, major obstacle, consequences/stakes
- After a twister transports a lonely Kansas farm girl to a magical land, she sets out on a dangerous journey alongside some eccentric new friends to defeat the Wicked Witch and find the Wizard with the power to send her home.
3.The Theme: What is the overall message your story will communicate?
- True love conquers all
- Triumph over adversity
4.The Treatment: Develop and explain your new/old Much Ado About Nothing characters
- Treatments are generally 1-3 pages long and include descriptions of the main characters, the main structural beats of your story, and an act by act breakdown of the plot
- Using bullet points, short paragraphs, or other options of your choice, explain how you will change the characters of Beatrice, Benedict, Claudio, Hero, Leonato, Don Pedro, and Don John in your new version of the story
- Using bullet points (etc.), explain how you will change the setting of the story
- Using bullet points (etc.), give a brief overview of the story arc — exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, etc.
* Treatments are like an outline
5.The Query Letter: A query letter is a ½ to ¾ page sales pitch that should tell the reader what is different about you or what inspired you to write your new version of Much Ado, what your story is about, and what would make people want to read more
- It should include:
- A hook
- Your logline
- Your title
- Your genre
- Comparisons to other works (film, books, etc.)
- No more than 2 succinct and well-written paragraphs introducing your world, characters, and concepts
- Information about your characters, the conflict, and the outcome of the story (in general terms — you don’t have to get specific. No cliffhangers, though.)
Dear Ms. Adamson
Sadie Smith was absolutely certain of three things: (1) ghosts were indisputably real; (2) she and her three friends were some of the best (if not the most conventional) ghost hunters in Oregon; (3) her teammate Jefferson Parrish was always the scariest thing in the room—even during a paranormal investigation. In a face-off between supernatural beings and Jefferson's lack of social skills and Tim Burton-esque vibe, there really was no contest.
But ghosts—unsurprisingly—aren't great at helping to pay the rent, so when Sadie and her friends receive an anonymous letter from a mysterious client offering an undisclosed sum of money in return for finding the link between four haunted locations, it's an easy sell. Going on blind faith and a few vague instructions, the ghost hunters sets out only to see clue after clue falling into place. As they piece together a sinister mystery reaching back to the 1800s, the group starts to wonder if they're in over their heads, or if they're on the path to unraveling a love story that was buried long ago—and one that should stay buried.
Parrish is an 80,000-word new adult paranormal fiction story that combines the thrill and uncertainty of paranormal romance with the suspense, danger, and intrigue of a mystery novel. It also explores the unique experiences of the ghost hunting profession in combination with the awkwardness of new love, while showing that beauty that can be found in the unconventional inherent to both ghost hunting and a person who doesn't quite conform to societal norms.
I currently have six books--The Breakup Artist, Finding June, Chasing June, Under Zenith, Pwned, and Sugar Coated--published through various outlets, including Cedar Fort Inc. and CHBB Publishing. Finding June and Chasing June were nominated for Whitney Awards in 2013 and 2014 respectively, and I am interested in taking my writing to the next level by working with a literary agent. As a college graduate with a degree in Media Arts, I've always emphasized narrative in my writing, and through the story of Sadie, Brighton, and the Parrish cousins, I've been able to tell a tale that provides a unique take on the paranormal romance phenomenon that's sweeping the world.
I would be more than happy to send a partial or full manuscript upon your request. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Shannen Crane Camp
Rocket Boys archetypes quiz
SOAPStone practice
Read four great American speeches ("The Four Freedoms," by FDR; "The Farewell Address," by George Washington; "Letters from Birmingham Jail," by MLK; and "The Gettysburg Address," by Abraham Lincoln), and identify the Speaker, the Occasion, the Audience, the Purpose of the speech, the Subject of the speech, and the tone of the person giving the speech
- Name an archetypical hero from the novel Rocket Boys, and explain
- Name an archetypical villain from the novel and explain
- Name an archetypical helper from the novel and explain
- Name an archetypical mentor from the novel and explain
- Name an archetypical father figure from the novel and explain
- Name an archetypical mother figure from the novel and explain
- Name an archetypical temptress from the novel and explain
- Crossroads, castle, maze/labyrinth, or underworld - has Sonny found himself in any of these archetypical settings in the novel? If yes, explain. If no, justify your answer.
SOAPStone practice
Read four great American speeches ("The Four Freedoms," by FDR; "The Farewell Address," by George Washington; "Letters from Birmingham Jail," by MLK; and "The Gettysburg Address," by Abraham Lincoln), and identify the Speaker, the Occasion, the Audience, the Purpose of the speech, the Subject of the speech, and the tone of the person giving the speech
Term 3 assignments
Reading speed check 1
Reading check: Part 1
Go to FreeReadingTest.com
o Select Theme: GENERAL
o Select Text Level Complexity: LEVEL 09
o Select Story: STORY 01
A3 class! Record your results using this Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfCcM8-KqKUtI17AzQ5feopUUFpPp8QWyixvcTpS-kT5_estA/viewform?usp=sf_link
A4 class! Record your results using this Google Form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6mTPXaQZ19hpy5XPWER4-__t-NIEsJ8FvYPfuUniJNVPusA/viewform?usp=sf_link
Reading check: Part 2
Go to FreeReadingTest.com
o Select Theme: GENERAL
o Select Text Level Complexity: LEVEL 09
o Select Story: STORY 01
A3 class! Record your results using this Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfCcM8-KqKUtI17AzQ5feopUUFpPp8QWyixvcTpS-kT5_estA/viewform?usp=sf_link
A4 class! Record your results using this Google Form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6mTPXaQZ19hpy5XPWER4-__t-NIEsJ8FvYPfuUniJNVPusA/viewform?usp=sf_link
Reading check: Part 2
- Grab a piece of paper and a book
- Identify 10 full pages that you will read in your book
- They can be any 10 pages, but it might help if you start at or near the beginning of your chosen book
- Use Jane Eyre if you have it, but if you don’t, grab another book from the front shelves
- Choose a section of pages with little dialogue — dialogue makes it harder to count lines
- Time yourself for 3 minutes as you read. Read at a normal pace, and see how far you get.
- At the end of your 3 minutes, mark the line where you finished reading
- THEN Find the number of words per line in your book
- Do this by:
- Counting the number of words in 3 full lines of text
- Dividing the sum by 3 (you read for 3 minutes)
- Write it down!
- Count the number of lines that you read
- 2 half lines = 1 full line
- Lines that are 1-2 words long don’t count
- Write it down!
- Multiply the number of lines you read by the average number of words in your book
- Divide that number by the number of minutes that you read for (3)
- Write down your reading speed!
- 120-180 words per minute = average for a 16-year-old
- 180-240 wpm = average human
- 240-350 wpm = average college reader
- 300-500 wpm = above average reader
- THEN number your paper 1-20
- On your lines numbered 1-20, write down everything you remember from the pages that you read
- Character names, locations, clothing, details from conversations, etc.
- You have 1 minute
ACT 1
ACT reading section | |
File Size: | 81 kb |
File Type: |
Mark Twain story questions
Come in and see me!
Context clues
Context clues assignment | |
File Size: | 664 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Short story common assessment
Come in and see me!
ACT grammar practice 2
ACT: Subways | |
File Size: | 38 kb |
File Type: |
Venn diagram assignment
Venn diagram prompt | |
File Size: | 582 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Descartes: Summary assessment
Come in and see me!
ACT practice 2
ACT - Extremophiles | |
File Size: | 41 kb |
File Type: |
ACT grammar practice 2
ACT - Diego | |
File Size: | 35 kb |
File Type: |
Reading speed check
This should feel familiar...
Tips for boosting your reading speed:
SO.....
- Grab a piece of paper and a book
- Identify 10 full pages that you will read in your book
- They can be any 10 pages, but it might help if you start at or near the beginning of your chosen book
- Use Jane Eyre if you have it, but if you don’t, grab another book from the front shelves
- Choose a section of pages with little dialogue — dialogue makes it harder to count lines
- Time yourself for 3 minutes as you read. Read at a normal pace, and see how far you get.
- At the end of your 3 minutes, mark the line where you finished reading
- THEN Find the number of words per line in your book
- Do this by:
- Counting the number of words in 3 full lines of text
- Dividing the sum by 3 (you read for 3 minutes)
- Write it down!
- Count the number of lines that you read
- 2 half lines = 1 full line
- Lines that are 1-2 words long don’t count
- Write it down!
- Multiply the number of lines you read by the average number of words in your book
- Divide that number by the number of minutes that you read for (3)
- Write down your reading speed!
- 120-180 words per minute = average for a 16-year-old
- 180-240 wpm = average human
- 240-350 wpm = average college reader
- 300-500 wpm = above average reader
Tips for boosting your reading speed:
- In order to see something, our eyes have to fixate on an object for a brief moment, like they’re taking a picture
- Your eyes need a quarter of a second to fixate on an object
- We all read one word at a time, which equals about 240 words per minute
- IF you are reading under 240 wpm, you can probably at least partially blame regressions
- Regressions – when your eyes, unconsciously, go back and look at words
- Nixing your regressions will automatically boost your speed
SO.....
- Do the reading test again, but with a new section of text
- This time, though, run your finger along the text as you read
- Each time your finger is underneath a word, read that word
- When your each the end of a line, lift up your finger and bring it back to the next line, where you should begin the process over again
Story arc quiz
Voice assignment
Answer the following questions:
- Describe yourself in 3 adjectives (Examples: snarky, fun, thoughtful, etc.)
- Imagine your ideal reader — describe him/her in a paragraph
- List at least 5 books, articles, blogs, etc., that you like to read
- How are they alike?
- How are they different?
- What is it about how they’re written intrigues you?
- Would you read what you write?
ACT reading practice
ACT reading section | |
File Size: | 42 kb |
File Type: |
Story arc/Archetypes quiz 2
Arc/archetypes quiz | |
File Size: | 2375 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Term 2 assignments
Parallelism intro (Calvin & Hobbes)
Follow the instructions on the worksheet. You should end up with 3 complete sentences when you are done.
Follow the instructions on the worksheet. You should end up with 3 complete sentences when you are done.
Make it match | |
File Size: | 223 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Parallelism practice worksheet
Try to fix the parallelism issues with each of these sentences. The issues could be caused by structural issues, tense issues, or just plain ol' mistakes. Remember, parallel structure means each part of the sentence needs to match the structure of the other parts of the sentence.
Examples:
You would NOT say, "I like to sing, dancing, and going to the movies."
You WOULD say, "I like to sing, to dance, and to go to the movies"
OR "I like to sing, dance, and go to the movies."
Try to fix the parallelism issues with each of these sentences. The issues could be caused by structural issues, tense issues, or just plain ol' mistakes. Remember, parallel structure means each part of the sentence needs to match the structure of the other parts of the sentence.
Examples:
You would NOT say, "I like to sing, dancing, and going to the movies."
You WOULD say, "I like to sing, to dance, and to go to the movies"
OR "I like to sing, dance, and go to the movies."
Parallelism practice | |
File Size: | 90 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Parallelism sentence practice
Write 3 complete sentences explaining the happenings in the photos, and try to make them complex sentences with a lot of detail. The more complex a sentence, the more difficult it is to recognize parallel structure issues, so keep a wary eye out!
Write 3 complete sentences explaining the happenings in the photos, and try to make them complex sentences with a lot of detail. The more complex a sentence, the more difficult it is to recognize parallel structure issues, so keep a wary eye out!
Charlie Brown parallelism | |
File Size: | 76 kb |
File Type: | docx |
AP practice test: Opening paragraph
Do NOT write a full AP essay (I mean, unless you really want to...) This is a test of your ability to read a prompt, identify how the literature you have read can serve to answer the prompt, and write a strong opening paragraphs to an essay. I am grading on your hook (the interesting way you grab the reader) and your thesis statement (which should be the last sentence of your first paragraph)
Scroll to page 3 for the assignment page. It is Question 3:
Do NOT write a full AP essay (I mean, unless you really want to...) This is a test of your ability to read a prompt, identify how the literature you have read can serve to answer the prompt, and write a strong opening paragraphs to an essay. I am grading on your hook (the interesting way you grab the reader) and your thesis statement (which should be the last sentence of your first paragraph)
Scroll to page 3 for the assignment page. It is Question 3:
AP practice test 2016 | |
File Size: | 166 kb |
File Type: |
"Young Goodman Brown" notes
If you read the story and use it in your essay, that'll cover this assignment. Just let me know you've read it and you're good to go
If you read the story and use it in your essay, that'll cover this assignment. Just let me know you've read it and you're good to go
Transitions quickwrite
Complete an 8-minute transitions essay using the following process:
*Transitions work best when you start a paragraph by writing one sentence that mentions what you just talked about in the last paragraph AS that sentence begins discussing the subject of your new paragraph
Complete an 8-minute transitions essay using the following process:
- Spend 2 minutes writing about your favorite class at Mountain View High School
- Skip a few lines
- Spend 2 minutes writing about your least favorite class at Mountain View High School
- Skip a few lines
- Spend 2 minutes writing about a class you’d like to see at Mountain View High School
- Spend 1 minute writing a transition sentence that helps the reader move from the first paragraph to the second
- Spend 1 minute writing a transition sentence that helps the reader move from the second paragraph to the third
*Transitions work best when you start a paragraph by writing one sentence that mentions what you just talked about in the last paragraph AS that sentence begins discussing the subject of your new paragraph
Embedded quotes intro
There are 3 great ways to embed quotes in an essay — just dropping a quote in there is not one of them
There are 3 great ways to embed quotes in an essay — just dropping a quote in there is not one of them
- Tag the quote by putting your own words after the quote
- Introduce the quote by putting your own words in front of the quote
- Put your words before & after the quote
- Make a sentence using JUST the quote, a citation, and punctuation
- Complete a full and clear sentence using the quote (pink) and the writer’s own words (yellow) AFTER the sentence. Punctuate correctly, and fold the quote to show only what you need
- Complete a full and clear sentence using the quote (pink) and the writer’s own words (yellow) BEFORE the sentence. Punctuate correctly, and fold the quote to show only what you need
- Complete a full and clear sentence using the quote (pink) and the introductory information (green). Punctuate correctly and adjust the quote as needed
- Complete a sentence that includes the author’s own words (yellow) on BOTH sides of the quote — front and back
- Complete a sentence that includes an introductory phrase (green), the quote, and the author’s own words on both sides of the quote. Punctuate correctly and adjust the quote as needed!
Embedded quotes intro | |
File Size: | 127 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Embedded quote practice: Pi
Your task:
• Write a paragraph explaining how this quote — “It is simple and brutal: a person can get used to anything, even to killing” (Martel 161) — explains what you’ve seen regarding the Salem witch trials.
• You MUST embed the quote or part of it in your paragraph.
Task helps:
• Brackets [ ] allow you to change the author’s original wording when needed OR add words for fluency or clarity
• Ellipsis … allow you to delete a word or words from an original longer quote. Do NOT change the author's meaning, though!
Embedded quote options:
Your task:
• Write a paragraph explaining how this quote — “It is simple and brutal: a person can get used to anything, even to killing” (Martel 161) — explains what you’ve seen regarding the Salem witch trials.
• You MUST embed the quote or part of it in your paragraph.
Task helps:
• Brackets [ ] allow you to change the author’s original wording when needed OR add words for fluency or clarity
• Ellipsis … allow you to delete a word or words from an original longer quote. Do NOT change the author's meaning, though!
Embedded quote options:
|
|
|
|
Term 1 assignments
"Of Mice and Men" intro assignment
Skim over (seriously, skim) each of the 5 documents and fill out the worksheet using the most important information from each document
U.S. prisons in the 1920s and 1930s
Biography: Author John Steinbeck
U.S. prisons in the 1920s and 1930s
Biography: Author John Steinbeck
|
|
|
|