Monday, August 31, 2015

Week 2, Day 1
Objective: Revising, Editing, and vocabulary development.

1. Announcements:
1. TODAY is the last day that you can sign-up for a campus tour with Mrs. Roop.  
1. University of Texas at Arlington
2. Tarleton State University in Stephenville
3. University of North Texas in Denton
4. UNT Health Science Center (only students in Anatomy and Health Science classes)
5. Texas State Technical College in Waco (Welding, Automotive, Culinary Arts, Aviation, Web Design, and Video Game Design)
2. Bell Work #2: Read this short article by George Couros, "Taking Notes vs. Taking a Picture of Notes; Which Wins?"  Respond to the article.  What do you think about it?  Does this make you change the way feel about taking notes on the Chrome Book v. taking notes with paper and pen.  
1. Your bell work today will be written down (IN PEN!), in your spiral.  If you do not have your spiral yet, borrow a piece of paper and you will have to transfer the prompt into your spiral to be graded.
2. Please put the date in the margin.
3. Use complete sentences with correct punctuation and grammar.
4. All writing in here is considered FORMAL.
1. No contractions.
2. No slang.
3. Avoid passive voice. (If you add "by zombies" or "with zombies" and it makes sense...that is passive voice!  Change it!)
5. Your bell work needs to be at least 40 words.  Please underline every 10th word.  
3. Week 1 SAT Quiz (use PEN!!!!)
4. "Get Out of Jail Free" Passes
1. You will receive two for the semester.
2. Use them for a tardy, a trip to the restroom, or to go to your locker.
3. Write your name on them (in PEN!!!)
4. Don't lose them.
5. "Leave Me Alone Pass"
1. You will receive one for the semester.
2. You may use it whenever you like, at Mrs. Avalos's discretion.
3. Write your name on it (in PEN!!!)
4. Don't lose it!
6. 3-2-1 Process: Look at the National Geographic "Picture of the Day"
1. Identify 3 FACTS about the picture.
2. Identify 2 INFERENCES about the picture.
3. Identify 1 QUESTION about the picture.
7. Turn in:
1. Your Syllabus Signature Page
2. Cursive Assignment (due by 4:00pm, if you don't have it now.)

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Week 1, Day 4
Objective: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading, Cursive Writing

1. Bell Work: 
1. Your bell work today will be written down (IN PEN!), in your spiral.  If you do not have your spiral yet, borrow a piece of paper and you will have to transfer the prompt into your spiral to be graded.
2. Please put the date in the margin.
3. Use complete sentences with correct punctuation and grammar.
4. All writing in here is considered FORMAL.
1. No contractions.
2. No slang.
3. Avoid passive voice. (If you add "by zombies" or "with zombies" and it makes sense...that is passive voice!  Change it!)
2. Bell Work: What do you want to be when you grow up?  Why?  What steps will you have to take to make sure you get there?
3. Grade your DRE
4. Turn in your DRE
5. Give Mrs. Avalos your Syllabus Signature Page, if you have it.  If not, bring it back on Monday.  
6. Cursive Assignment (due Monday!)
1. Pick ONE of the two choices below to write in cursive.  
1. Choice ONE: Eight times table
1. 8 x 1=8 would be written as "eight times one equals eight"
2. Go from 8x1 all the way through 8x12
2. Choice TWO: Sentence
1. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
2. Write it twelve times.  
2. Please don't complain, it is really important for you to know how to write in cursive.  There is a portion on the SAT (and ACT, I believe) that has an honor statement that must be written in cursive.  Many of my students have told me that this part has taken them a long time because they haven't written in cursive in a long time (or ever!) 
3. I have cursive charts, if you need one.
4. This should be done on a separate sheet of paper, in blue or black INK!!!
5. Heading goes at the top right of the paper with your name, date, and period.  
6. 5.   Finish up everything that is on this week's blog.
   6.   If there is time, left you may add books to your Shelfari account, or play free rice.  
   7.   If you did not get your free rice account to work, please don't stress.  We had quite a few problems last year.  They are a non-profit organization and, therefore, have a very small technical support staff.  We will eventually get it taken care of!
7. Reminders:
1. Make sure you have filled out the Student Information Form from the first day (this will be a daily grade 100, 50, or 0).
2. Please have your supplies by Monday.  If you have any trouble getting them, please let me know privately.
3. No school tomorrow.
4. Week 1 SAT Quiz is on Monday!
8. Have a FANTASTIC weekend!!!!

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Week 1, Day 3
Objective: Web 2.0 Tools, vocabulary development.  

1. Announcements:
1. Pep Rally schedule tomorrow
1. Circus theme.
2. This year, pep rallies are in the afternoon at 3:20pm.
2. Class Meetings today
1. 1st period-Juniors
2. 2nd period-Freshmen
3. 3rd period-Sophomores
4. 6th period-Seniors
2. Bell Work: 
1. Create a folder in Google Drive titled "Avalos-English II"
2. Make a copy of "Usernames and Passwords." 
3. Fill out any of the usernames and passwords that you already know.  
4. The other websites listed will be log-ins that we will create in the future.  Don't worry about any of them if you don't know what they are or what they mean.  
5. Put your "Usernames and Passwords" document in your "Avalos-English II" folder.
3. Create an account on Quizlet OR if you already have an account, sign-in.
1. Join my class by clicking on this link: Avalos English Class on Quizlet
4. Join my Remind texts (210) 441-7299
5. If there is time:
1. Make sure you have filled out the Student Information Form from the first day (this will be a daily grade 100, 50, or 0).
2. Finish DRE (due tomorrow, at the beginning of class!!!)
3. Study on Quizlet for your SAT Quiz on Monday
6. Reminders:
1. Please have your supplies by Monday.  If you have any trouble getting them, please let me know privately.
2. No school for students on Friday.
3. Week 1 DRE is due TOMORROW!
4. Week 1 SAT Quiz is on Monday!
7. Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Week 1, Day 2
Objective: Discuss classroom expectations, policies, and procedures.  Learn proper use and care of Chrome Books.  Become more familiar with Mrs. Avalos's classroom and procedures.  

Hope your first day back was wonderful and welcome to Day #2!!!

1. Bell Work: Please read through this blog post.  Then, I will discuss it with you.  
2. Discussion
3. Plexer/Fortune Cookie of the Day
4. Blog! 
1. Read all of it!
2. Don't just skim!
3. There is a lot of important information on here!
4. I REALLY don't like to repeat myself over, and over, and over, and over...
5. Technology
1. Sometimes it will work, sometimes it will not work.
2. Be flexible.
3. Collaborate with each other.
4. Help each other.
5. I do not know everything and I will not pretend to.  There are many things we will learn together.  
6. Go over Syllabus
1. Please read through this.  Tomorrow, I will give you a copy of the front page to get signed by your parent.  If you would like a paper copy of this, please let me know.  
7. DRE (Daily Revising and Editing) Sheets
1. Typically, given to you on Mondays.
2. Due Friday (or the last day of the week)
3. Use these proofreading marks to correct the sentences.  
8. SAT Vocabulary
1. 10 words each week, starting this week.
2. There will be quizzes each week...first quiz will be on Monday
3. The quizzes will be cumulative, which means they will build up.  This helps you transfer the knowledge from short term memory to long term memory.  Essentially, you will be tested on each word up to 5 times.  
4. Definitions are on my website.  You may use the link at the top of this blog. If you would like a paper copy of the word list with definitions, please let me know.  
5. I have also created a Quizlet Study Set for you to study.  The link to the Quizlet Study Set is on the tab above that says "SAT Words of the Week."
6. You will need to create an account on Quizlet.  
9. Announcements:
1. NO morning tutorials on TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS.
2. Make sure your first and last name is on your chromebook.  
10. Have a GREAT DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, August 24, 2015

Week 1, Day 1
Objective: Discuss classroom expectations, policies, and procedures.  Learn proper use and care of Chrome Books.  

Welcome back and welcome to English II!

1. Welcome!
2. About Me
3. Supplies
1. 1 subject spiral notebook (PLEASE do NOT get a multi-subject spiral for this class!)
2. Blue or black ink pens (we WILL NOT use pencil in this class!!!!!!!)
3. Red, purple, or any other different color pen(s) (for grading)
4. personal headphones
5. wireless mouse (optional!)
4. Chrome Books
1. Bring your CHARGED chrome book to class EVERY DAY! 
2. Take care of it!
5. Bookmark my blog in Google Chrome.
6. Bookmark my website in Google Chrome.  
7. Fill out this short form
1. **Okay, sorry, maybe it isn't THAT short.**  
2. You will need to finish the form in one-sitting, otherwise it will make you start all over. 
8. If time permits, we will go over the class blog and my website.  
9. We will go over policies and procedures in the syllabus tomorrow.