MONDAY 4/26 SOUTH IHS

Go over the vocab word "syntax." Your vocab test will be Tuesday, May 4

Collect study guides

Groups of four work on a short "debate" about the novel. Each person takes notes to turn in for credit. We just started this and will finish it next class.

Get instructions for a pastiche (imitation) of a poem written in the style of an Indian/Persian poet. Students may either write a poem in one of the styles we looked at and then illustrate the border of the poem in a rangoli-type design OR students may just do a larger rangoli design. We'll be working on these again next class. IN THE P.M. CLASS, we didn't do this activity, as we had a woman who lived in India for 10 years and studied dance there come into the class and teach us bhangara! Other classes will have this opportunity soon. IF YOU MISSED THIS P.M. CLASS, type me a one page, double spaced report on bhangara as a traditional dance form of India, due by Friday 4/30.

HWK: READ THROUGH PAGE 152

FRIDAY 4/23 SHELDON IHS

Discuss the vocab word "syntax." Your vocab test will be on Monday 5/3

Look at effect of present tense when Ruku tells the story of Raja's funeral (page 94)

Traditional poetry and rangoli designs -- look at poems from four Indian/Persian poets and discuss creating an illustrated pastiche of their work

HWK: READ THROUGH PAGE 128

THURSDAY 4/22 SOUTH IHS

Discuss the vocab word "oxymoron"

Collect character grids

Read pg. 105 out loud and discuss the effect of present tense as Ruku remembers her son's funeral

Work with a partner to complete a "conflict" analysis (extra copies of the sheets for these are in the hwk box)

HWK: READ THROUGH PG. 127

WED. 4/21 SHELDON IHS

Remember to be studying the yellow vocab sheet! Today, we went over the word "connotation."

Quiz on the reading

Group sharing of your study questions.

Working with a partner, fill out the "conflict grid." IF YOU MISSED CLASS, get this from the hwk box and turn in finished next class.

HWK: READ CHS 13, 14, 15 AND CONTINUE TO GO OVER YOUR VOCAB WORDS.

MONDAY 4/19 SHELDON IHS AND TUES. 4/20 SOUTH IHS

Finish the state-required writing! Whew!

At SHS, I'll do makeups on Wed. & Fri. at lunch in our classroom.
At SO, I'll do makeups Tuesday at lunch in our classroom and then again Tues. afternoon at 2:00. I have a meeting on Thursday at lunch, but if students need more makeup times, we can arrange with another sophomore teacher for you to finish the test during projects on Wed. or Fri.

HWK: AT SHELDON IHS, READ CHS 10, 11, 12 AND TYPE SIX GOOD STUDY QUESTIONS. TYPE THE ANSWER TO THEM, TOO, AND MAKE THOSE ANSWERS AT LEAST A SENTENCE LONG. REMEMBER THAT YOU SHOULD ALSO BE SLOWLY WORKING ON THE ASSIGNMENT TO SHOW THREE EXAMPLES FROM THE BOOK THAT MATCH WITH EACH OF THE SIX THEMES I GAVE YOU ON 4/2. THIS ASSIGNMENT WILL BE DUE WHEN WE FINISH THE BOOK.

AT SOUTH, READ CHS 14, 15, 16. REMEMBER THAT YOU SHOULD ALSO BE SLOWLY WORKING ON THE ASSIGNMENT TO SHOW THREE EXAMPLES FROM THE BOOK THAT MATCH WITH EACH OF THE SIX THEMES I GAVE YOU ON 4/1. THIS ASSIGNMENT WILL BE DUE WHEN WE FINISH THE BOOK.

WED. 4/14 SHELDON IHS AND THURS. 4/15 SOUTH IHS

We continue with state-required writing tests

HWK: NONE, BUT BE SURE TO BRING YOUR COPY OF "NECTAR IN A SIEVE" NEXT CLASS

MONDAY 4/12 SHELDON IHS AND TUESDAY 4/13 SOUTH IHS

We begin the state-required OAKS writing test, which will take two more class days. IF YOU MISSED THIS CLASS, you can begin next time and make up any lost time, if you need to, at lunch or during your projects period -- no worries there.

HWK: None till we finish with this required testing

FRIDAY 4/9 SOUTH IHS

Grammar study on how to use apostrophes

Quiz on homework reading

Group work to discuss the best of the study questions you generated for homework. and then sharing of those with whole class.

Individual writing of a focused paragraph. IF YOU MISSED CLASS, you should make this up by TYPING a paragraph (6-9 sentences) that addresses the following topic: Ruku faced many difficulties in her life with dignity and hope. Explain how you have faced a difficulty in your life. Be specific.

HWK: NONE. WE START STATE REQUIRED OAKS TESTING ON TUESDAY.

WED. 4/7 SOUTH IHS AND THURS. 4/8 SHELDON IHS

Grammar study and worksheet on how to use a DASH. At Sheldon, we also cover how to use an apostrophe.

Practice examples of the vocab word "connotation" at South. We still need to do this at Sheldon.

At South, we had group discussions on the way setting affects characters in the novel. At Sheldon, we ran out of time for this.

HWK FOR SOUTH ONLY (NO HOMEWORK FOR SHS BECAUSE WE START STATE REQUIRED WRITING TESTS ON MONDAY).
Read Chs 10,11,12. TYPE six study questions that cover these chapters, and include your typed answers.

MONDAY 4/5 SOUTH IHS AND TUESDAY 4/6 SHELDON IHS

Study the semi-colon!

Quiz on the reading from "Nectar in a Sieve"

Discuss the book

Begin filling out character chart in class.

HWK: READ CHS 7, 8. 9. IF YOUR CLASS VOTED TO DO A STUDY GUIDE FOR CHS 7-9, THEN YOU SHOULD COMPLETE ONE AND HAND IN NEXT CLASS. AS OF THIS WRITING, SOUTH AM1 VOTED NOT TO; SOUTH AM 2 VOTED TO DO THE GUIDE. COMPLETE YOUR CHARACTER CHART. KEEP WORKING ON FILLING IN 3 EXAMPLES FOR EACH THEME IN THE NOVEL. THAT THEME WORK ISN'T DUE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, BUT DOING A LITTLE AT A TIME IS A GOOD IDEA.

THURS. 4/1 SOUTH IHS AND FRI. 4/2 SHELDON IHS

More work on commas after introductory clauses and how to punctuate dialogue

Collect study guides

Quiz on reading

Discuss themes of the novel

HWK: READ CHS. 4, 5, 6. BRING WRITER'S INC.