for Friday, October 5, 2012 (3Ps Parent's Choice) fi4

Dear Class and Parents,

The assigned homework is to write three paragraphs from a fable OR non-fiction topic. Introduction and conclusion paragraphs are not required yet.
WRITE YOUR KWO FIRST. Use it as a guide. I understand that your finished essay will probably elaborate on, deviate from and/or expand on your original KWO.
Always start with a KWO.

Parents may give you topic suggestions from your own classes/school.  ~~~~~~~~~~~>
This is a perfect opportunity for you to integrate YOUR home-school curriculum with your IEW assignment.  :-) 

In EACH paragraph you should include and properly indicate:

one -ly word
one who/which clause
one because clause
a quality adjective
a strong verb
1 point extra credit -per paragraph- if you use no banned words


:-) Use proper formatting! Remember, there is -10 point deduction for incorrect heading, title, or formatting (each) beginning with this assignment.

I hope you will transfer the techniques  you learn in this class to your other subjects!  It will be fun to hear the variety of topics that will be presented.

DUE OCTOBER 5:
3 paragraph essay with KWO and checklist stapled to the back
Vocabulary words
FIX IT #4

I hope you have a great week! 

The FIX-IT is below.

I hope you have a great week!

Week 4

To her, it seemed most amazing that flowers of the land should have fragrance, and that fish among the tree’s could sing so sweetly, when you have reached your 15th year said the grandmother. You will have our sanction to rise up out of the sea. [quotation continues]

you may sit on the rocks in the luminous moonlight while the great ships are sailing by in the following year, one of the sister’s would be 15 since each mermaid was a year younger then the next the youngest would have to endure 5 years before her turn came.

However each promised to tell the others’ what they discovered on their impending visit, and what they thought the most pleasing, because there grandmother could not tell them as much as they wanted to know.

None of them yearned so much for their turn to come as the younger. She who had the longest time to wait, and who was so quiet and thoughtful




Information for Mrs. Cortez 
Correlation to 2011-2012 Lesson Plan: Monet

Correlation to 2012-2013 Lesson Plan: BPAs

for Friday, September 28, 2012 (Time, Steps, Event or Space) fi3

Dear Class,
What did you think of the communication game we played?  Feel free to try it at home with your parents and siblings. Isn't it interesting how our words might mean something else to the recipient?  I hope you understand how important it is to speak and write clearly for understanding!  Always proofread your papers with this in mind.

Your homework is to write one chronological paragraph using transition words that will distinguish time, steps, events, or space.  You may write about your favorite day, a "how-to" topic, a visual space (like your closet or room, the Grand Canyon!), or a historical event.

Remember to include a:

• who/which clause
• one -"ly word"
• quality adjective
• strong verb

Remember to indicate these "dress-ups" with bolding and an underline in your paragraph.  I will also be looking for transition words, so please use appropriate terms for your topic (time words, location/space words, etc.). I have pasted an additional list of transition words below.

Reminders:

• FIX-ITs -  hand-write on notebook paper, neatly and legibly. Use blue or black ink or dark pencil in paragraph form (this shows paragraph changes in the text).
•  VOCABULARY WORDS - Along with your weekly submission of vocabulary words and their definitions, I strongly suggest that you begin a Word document with an accumulative and alphabetized list of vocab words. Refresh your notebook with an updated alphabetized list regularly. Sorting alphabetically can be done online at: SortMyList.com Our vocabulary list grows quickly and the open-book tests are random and unannounced. 
• ESSAYS - check your formatting (especially font size and spacing in your title block). 
• KWOs and CHECKLISTS - must be staples to the BACK of your essays.
• Be sure to use proper formatting. 
• You have one week to turn in late vocab, KWOs, FIX-ITs and checklists for half credit 
• There is a 10 points deduction per week for late essays.

FIX-IT     Week 3

to each of the young princesses the sea king bequeathed a little garden plot where they might dig and plant as they pleased, one princess arranged her flower-bed as a whale, another as a mermaid, that of the youngest contained flowers as red as the suns ray’s at sunset.

She was a singular child quiet and thoughtful, whereas her sisters would be thrilled with the marvelous things they obtained from the wrecks of vessels’ the younger princess cherished nothing, but her lovely flowers—except one thing a marble statue

Carved out of pure white stone the statue was the rendering of a handsome boy which had fallen to the bottom of the sea from a wreck, beside the statue, the youngest mermaid had planted a rose-colored, weeping willow

Splendidly it had grown, and soon hanged it’s fresh branches over the statue, enchanted by any information she might gain about the world above the sea the little mermaid made her venerable grandmother tell her all she new of the ships and towns.   

Transition Words

Words that can be used to show location/space:

above	behind	by	near	throughout
across	below	down	off	to the right
against	beneath	in back of	onto	under
along	beside	in front of	on top of
among	between	inside	outside
around	beyond	into	over

Words that can be used to show time:

while	first	meanwhile	soon	then
after	second	today	later	next
at	third	tomorrow	afterward	as soon as
before	now	next week	about	when suddenly
during	until	yesterday	finally

Time Transitions
Shortly after that	Meanwhile	Soon
Along the way	Before long	Earlier
After all of that	Later on	Eventually
An hour later	Without delay	Immediately
At that very moment	At last	Next
Later that same day	During all of this	As soon as
Not a moment too soon	While this was happening

Word that can be used to compare two things:

likewise	also	while	in the same way
like	as	similarly

Words that can be used to contrast two things:

but	still	although	on the other hand
however	yet	otherwise	even though

Words that can be used to emphasize a point:

again	truly	especially	for this reason
to repeat	in fact	to emphasize

Words that can be used to conclude or summarize:

finally	as a result	to sum up	in conclusion
lastly	therefore	all in all	because

Words that can be used to add information:

again	another	for instance	for example
also	and	moreover	additionally
as well	besides	along with	other
next	finally	in addition

Words that can be used to clarify:

that is

for instance

in other words

Information for Mrs. Cortez 
Correlation to 2011-2012 Lesson Plan: How to Climb a Fence

Correlation to 2012-2013 Lesson Plan: Falling Dominoes (The DMZ)

for Friday, September 21, 2012 (Aesop's Fable) fi2

Dear Students and Parents,

I enjoyed listening to you read your essays in class. I think we have a talented group of writers in our 2012- 2013 IEW class! I am expecting great work from each and every one of you.  
Your next assignment is to re-write one of the three  Aesop’s Fables handed out in class. Remember to include (in each paragraph) the two “dress-ups” that we discussed:  a who/which clause and an “ly”word (adverb).

We will start with a writing prompt this Friday. Please be on time so that you will have the full 20 minutes to complete the base writing sample. The topic will be given to the class at 9:30 sharp. We WILL take a very quick mid-class break so that students may get their snacks. Please be sure to bring something that is neat, quiet and easy to eat.

The assignments due on Friday, September 21:

1) Your essay is due.  Remember to bold and underline the dress-ups. If you include vocabulary words, remember to highlight them in blue.

2) Your handwritten KWO should also be handed in on Friday, September 21– on a separate piece of paper. Staple it to your essay as the last page.

3) Your handwritten and corrected FIX-IT

4) Vocabulary words with definitions

~~> If you have questions about formatting, please refer to the Essay Format Requirements.

~~> If you have questions about how to properly indicate this week’s two required dress-ups, please refer to the Required IndicatorExamples.

~~> If you have questions about the FIX-ITs please refer to the FIX-IT Help. 

FIX-IT #2        due September 21, 2012

Splendidly the roof is formed of shells which open and close as the water flows over them, there appearance is magnificent because in each lays a glittering pearl fit for the diadem of a queen.

For many years the sea king had been a widower so his aged mother kept house for him she deserved very great praise especially for her nurturance of the little sea-princess’s her granddaughters.

Although, all six were comely children the younger were the most striking of them all her skin was as delicate as a rose leaf, and her eyes as blue as the deepest sea, like all the others she had no feet and her body ended in a fish’s tail.

throughout the day they frolicked in the palatial halls of the castle, fish swam in threw the large amber windows right up to the princess’s where they nibbled from the mermaids hands, and allowed themselves to be stroked. 





Information for Mrs. Cortez 
Correlation to 2011-2012 Lesson Plan: The Goose with Golden Eggs

Correlation to 2012-2013 Lesson Plan: The Effects of Vanity

 

for Friday, September 14, 2012 (Pillbugs or Sound Waves) fi1

Dear Class and Parents,

It was a pleasure to start our year together on Friday, August 31 and begin new relationships while continuing old ones.  I look forward to learning and growing together throughout this academic year. Remember that our co-op will not meet on Friday, September 7.

Your homework is due on Friday, September 14. It includes 4 assignments that need to be submitted:

1)  KEY WORD OUTLINE  (KWO)

Your key word outline should be handwritten on a lined piece of notebook paper. It must be properly headed with your name and due date on the upper right lines. Remember, only 3 words per sentence. Numbers and symbols are free. They do not count as part of the 3 word limit per sentence.

2) ESSAY

 Your one-paragraph essay is also due.  Essays must be typed.  This week's essay must include a "who/which" clause (as discussed and practiced in class). Be sure to underline the appropriate "who" or "which." 

All ESSAY FORMAT REQUIREMENTS may be found on the side bar of our class IEW Notebook website.

Essays should essentially re-tell either "Pillbugs and Sowbugs " (younger students) or "Sound Waves and Infrasound" (high school or younger students who want a challenge). The original source paragraphs are included at the bottom. Your essay may have a different number of sentences (than the source paragraphs) but the content should reflect the source paragraph.  

Using ONLY your key word outline, re-tell the paragraph in your own words.  You will be surprised how differently each student will word this information.  Be prepared to read your paragraph.  Remember, if you don't read the next time we meet, you will read the following time!

REMEMBER TO INCLUDE: one "who/which" clause in your paragraph. The word "who" or "which" MUST be underlined. You may include appropriate vocabulary words for extra credit (see #4).

3) FIX-IT

Another aspect of the homework is the Fix-It.  The sentences that need to be "fixed" are below.  Parents, you may want to print out the "incorrect fix-it" for convenience sake.  Students should hand write the corrected sentences on lined paper. Remember to include proper heading - name and due date on the upper two lines of the paper on the right side.

4) VOCABULARY

The students will also need to define the bolded words from the weekly Fix It assignment (on a separate sheet with proper heading) and bring that to class.  We will discuss them in class. The students will also be tested intermittently throughout the year on these words.  If the student uses the vocabulary words in his essay correctly and indicates it with a blue highlight, he will receive one extra point per word on his score. In order to receive extra credit, vocabulary words must be used correctly and highlighted with light blue in the essay.  You will find this extremely helpful!  Not only will it help your grade, but you will learn/use/increase your vocabulary tremendously!

Please be aware that we will sometimes practice timed writing in class with writing prompts for SAT and H.S. application preparation. It is very important for the students to be accustomed to writing a lengthy essay in a timed setting even if these tests are not in your student's immediate future.

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to call me on my cell, text or email me. Texting is usually the fastest way to contact me. 832 766 2172

Fix-It  #1  due September 14, 2012

Far out in the ocean where the water is as blue as the most stunning cornflower and as clear as crystal it is very deep—so deep indeed that no cable could fathom it.

Many, church steeples, piled one upon another, would not reach from the ground beneath too the surface of the water above, in that place, dwells the Sea King, and his aquatic subjects.

 

We must not imagine that there is nothing at the bottom of the sea but bare, yellow sand no indeed the most remarkable plants grow their. The leaves and stems of which are so pliant that the most slight agitation of the water causes them to stir like they had life

 

Fish both large and small glide between the branches as birds fly between the trees here upon land. In the most deepest spot of all stands the castle of the sea king, and it’s walls are built of coral and the long gothic windows are of the clearest amber.

ESSAY SOURCE PARAGRAPH CHOICES:

Pillbugs and Sowbugs  (recommended for Younger Students - 7 sentences to outline)         
        Pillbugs are common backyard inhabitants around the world. They are called pillbugs because when they are disturbed they can roll into a ball like an old-fashioned pill. The sowbug is a close relative. It looks similar but is a little flatter and can't roll itself up. Pillbugs are actually crustaceans, like crabs or lobsters. Just like these underwater crustaceans, they breathe through gills instead of lungs. The gills, located on the underside of the pillbug, must be kept slightly moist—that's why you usually find these animals in damp places.

Sound Waves and Infrasound (recommended for Older Students - 13 sentences to outline)
        Sound, as vertebrates hear it, consists of waves of relatively high and low air pressure.  When these waves reach the eardrum, they push it in and pull it out. This sets in motion a vibration transmitted through the middle ear bones. The sound waves travel to the cochlea, where specialized cells produce nerve impulses. Our brains interpret these impulses as sound. The waves we hear best range from about a yard, peak to peak, down to tiny fractions of an inch.  Sound waves that are  bigger can only be felt by humans. At a close range, they vibrate a human being's chest. These larger sound waves are called infrasound. These waves range from tens of yards to miles in length. Elephants, whales, hippopotamuses, the okapi and rhinoceroses, on the other hand, appear to hear and produce sounds well below our range. And it’s not just the large animals that hear infrasound. Pigeons, guinea fowl, cod, cuttlefish, octopus, squid and the capercaille, a Eurasian grouse, all hear infrasound.




Information for Mrs. Cortez 
Correlation to 2011-2012 Lesson Plan: Music's Effects on Plants

Correlation to 2012-2013 Lesson Plan: Infrasound