Periods 3 & 4 - English 2

In case you all needed the document below (if you wanted to get started), here it is. Hope you are enjoying your spring break. I do miss you if you were wondering.

Remember to read; it keeps the mind fresh!!!! No dead brains when you return. LOL! I am reading Eclipse for the second time, as well as some books for my classes. What a blessing it is to read and write! See you in a week!
Portfolio of Poetry

WAY TO GO!

Congrats to the following students for making A's in both my reading and English classes this quarter: MONICA HERNANDEZ, ERIKA MUNIZ and ANTHONY VALECILLOS

Congrats to these students for making A's all three quarters thus far in English class:

3rd Period - ESTEFANIA MARTINEZ-BONET and LAYSU BORGES

4th Period - MONICA HERNANDEZ and ERIKA MUNIZ

5th Period - RICK BRAVO, AMANDA FRYE, JESSICA PEREZ and IBIS ISER

6th Period - MABIT GONZALEZ and JONATHAN MUNOZ

I am very proud of all my babies, but I am especially proud of the aforementioned students. That is quite a feat!!!!

Spring Break Home Learning

You have a few tasks for Spring Break. I suggest you do them today, or the Monday that's a teacher workday. Let's finish the year strong!

Periods 3 & 4 - Read The Freedom Writer's Diary, pgs. 78-107. Write three entries in your journal that discuss your feelings regarding the readings, or you can write about your experiences during spring break. You also need to write an enjambment poem of at least 14 lines. Remember, you need to focus on one literary tool.

Periods 5 & 6 - DO pgs 61-63 of your test packet. Set a timer for 16 minutes. Once the time is up, circle the questions you weren't able to finish. You can do them anyway, but I want you to circle them so you are aware that you have to work faster. You also need to read "Men, Women, Sex and Darwin" from the 50 Essays book. It's on page 29. In addition, you need to answer the four questions that follow the reading. Don't write the questions, just the answers (Shocker, I know! LOL!) You also need to look at the stylistic aspects of the essay. Look for figurative language, sytax, rhetoric, etc. Highlight it in your book and make notes in the margin. A useful tool is the handout from the summer with all the rhetorical appeals on it. It's to the left if you need another copy.

OK, I love you all. Be safe and make good choices! I will miss you!!!!!!!!

Check Your FCAT Camp Points

At 9 p.m. this evening, I will be done entering points for FCAT Camp. I gave 5th and 6th credit for science; 1st and 2nd for reading camp; 3rd and 4th for writing and reading camp. I entered it in the book as 1 point, which may seem low for you, but I promise it's not. It was the only way I could give you partial points if you only came one or two Saturdays. It equaled to a one to three PERCENT increase, which is HUGE!

If you notice I did not credit you for attending camp, see me at lunch tomorrow.

Smile,
C-Rod

BRING YOUR BINDER!

Periods 3-6, be sure to bring your binder for class. Will there be a binder check? Maybe. You just need to be prepared!

PERIODS 1-6:Test Make-up/Retake Day on 3/24!

Periods 3 & 4: If you did not get the grade you wanted on the literary tools test (less than an 85%), you can make it up! I will allow you to retake it (it will be a different test, but same lit tools) on Wednesday, 3/24 during lunch. To do this, you will need to bring the old literary tools written out three times (tool and definition) on Tuesday or Wednesday to class. At that time, I will write you a lunch pass for Wednesday. To take the test, you will have to bring your pass and arrive by 11:33. You will have until 11:55 to take it, and then you can eat lunch.

Periods 5 & 6: The same goes for you for our last vocab test, except you will write out ALL Vocab 6 words and definitions 5 times each. See above for the rules and details!

Periods 1-6: If there is a test you need to make up from this quarter, here is what you need to do (no exceptions will be made, sorry):
1. Make sure your absence is excused.
2. Request to take the make-up on this blog by Monday, 3/22 at 8:00 p.m. You must also indicate the date you missed and which test/quiz you have to take.
3. Come to me by Wednesday at 9:25 to request a pass. (Do not interrupt my class to do so, please.)
4. Show up for your make-up by 11:33 a.m.

Remember, I love you!

Periods 1 & 2

According to the article we read in class today, some marriages are arranged by the parents of a man and a woman, as opposed to them meeting, falling in love and then exchanging vows. Oftentimes, the cultures that arrange marriages use horoscopes to determine if the couple will be a good match. Though I don't find horoscopes to be a valid method of determining your day or that the love of your life has to come from one specific sign, I do think it's interesting. So what I want you to do is look up your sign and the traits of people who fall within that sign. Then look up which sign is the best match for you and why. Do you know anyone who has the same sign as your ideal match? Is what you found accurate based on your experiences with that person? Would you be OK with your parents arranging for you to marry this person at such a young age?

I want you to post your findings here, as well as your reaction to what you discover. If you want to use the Chinese signs (calendar), since so many of you are in Chinese, you can! Have fun with this! Again, I am not pushing astrology; I just thought it would interesting and tie in nicely to our readings this week!

HOLD UP, Periods 5 & 6!

I feel I have not prepared you well enough for the compare and contrast essay; therefore, I am moving the due date back. Here are the new dates: 3/25 (5th) and 3/26 (6th). Understand that since I am doing more to prepare you, you will be graded even more stringently than before.

To replace this assignment, access the following Powerpoint.Take notes on the presentation then write 5 sentences per type of sentence (for a total of 20) and incorporate your most recent vocab words. It must be typed. This is due this Friday for 5th, and this Thursday for 6th.

Simple, Compound, And Complex Sentences In


Smile and love you (even though I am grouchy).

YOU ARE READY, and I BELIEVE IN YOU!

I am so glad that FCAT is finally upon us. You have worked so hard to get where you are. Some of you have come every Saturday for FCAT camp, while some of you have endured tutoring at 6:30 every morning. I know Reading Plus has made you nuts, as well as all of the reading passages, but I know it will pay off in huge dividends. Not only are you ready for Tuesday, you are also ready to be a junior, a college student, and a lifelong reader, writer and learner.

Rest this weekend, do a couple more sessions of Reading Plus, then relax. Remember to let the fear go; you are more ready than any other group I've had.

I AM PROUD TO HAVE YOU AS MY STUDENTS, CHILDREN, BABIES, SWEETIES, MUFFINS, ETC! Love you!

Periods 5 & 6 - Compare and Contrast Essay

You are going to be writing a compare and contrast essay on two literary criticisms of the piece you selected. The due dates are as follows (I made them due after FCAT Science to try and help you out): Period 5 - March 19; Period 6 - March 18.

This time you are going to print one copy for class, but you will have to email it to me by the morning of your due date (there is a reason). I will give you the email address in class.

Furthermore, I need you go to this site (CLICK HERE), and print out this handout. It will prove to be useful, and we will also be discussing it in class.

HW and Vocab Tests

Periods 5 & 6: Click HERE to review the vocab words for your test tomorrow. Period 6, your test is Thursday, 2/25. Period 5, your test is on 2/26. Remember that you are responsible to keep up with your readings (up to page 128)!

Periods 3 & 4, your vocab review is to the right. Look over there, and you will see it. You will also have a lit tool test with it. BE READY! Remember, you are working on your Reading Plus and FCAT readings for homework, so make sure you are keeping up!

Trust me, I am hard on you so you will be the best student you can be!

Love you all!

Revised Reading Schedule for 5th & 6th

Below is the new reading schedule. We are finishing at the same time, but I changed it up a bit. Remember, you have to have the pages read BEFORE you get to class. Also be reminded that even if you're absent, you're responsible to keep up with your readings.

2/19 and 2/22 - pgs. 1-60; 2/23 and 2/24 - pgs. 63-97; 2/25 and 2/26 - pgs. 100-128; 3/2 and 3/3 - pgs 128-175; 3/4 and 3/5 - pgs. 178-207; 3/8 and 3/9 - pgs. 208-239; 3/11 and 3/12 - pgs. 239-280

Hope you all are enjoying it so far. I am amazed at what these men have endured thus far, the calm among them, and the vivid details in the writing. WOW! Share some of your thoughts here if you wish!

If you choose (for a few extra points), compare and contrast yourself and one of the men on the Endurance. In chapter 5, there were several descriptions of the men, and I could relate to at least one or two of them. If you do respond, make sure that you use specific quotes from the book...and, remember, it's compare AND contrast. Tuesday, 2/23 at 10 p.m. is the deadline.

Love you all!

Periods 5 & 6

You have an upcoming project that will deal with our theme this quarter: Science and Nature.

Below is a list of authors I want you to investigate. You need to pick one author, as well as one or two of his/her works to read, study, critique and write about. Try to find an essay, excerpt or other non-fictional piece that can be read in one or two sittings (like the length of a short story or some of the essays we've read in class).

Post the author you choose here, as well as the two pieces you want to work on by that author. I know there are fewer authors than students, so an author can be selected by no more than TWO different students; however, the works you choose by that author must be different than the other student's choices. Basically, the early bird will get the worm! You have until Thursday night, or I will pick one for you. :o)

Happy shopping!

Edward Abbey, Diane Ackerman, Natalie Angier, Wendell Berry, Jacob Bronowski, Rachel Carson, Charles Darwin, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Jared Diamond, Annie Dillard, Gretel Ehrlich, Loren Eiseley, Timothy Ferris, Tim Flannery, Richard Fortey, Atul Gawande, Stephen Jay Gould, Evelyn Fox Keller, Aldo Leopold, Barry Lopez, Peter Matthiessen, Bill McKibben, Margaret Mead, John Muir, Steven Pinker, David Quammen, Carl Sagan, Lewis Thomas, Jonathan Weiner, E. O. Wilson

Note: If there is a writer that reflects insight on science and nature that is not on the list, you may still be able to use him/her; however, you will need to use rhetoric to convince me!

Periods 1 & 2

Reading Plus is a site that helps you with your reading skills, especially comprehension (your understanding) and fluency (your speed). Each night, I want you to commit to working on Reading Plus for 1/2 hour! Trust me, the time you invest now is time you will save later NOT having to be in intensive classes or having to retake the FCAT.

Here is what you do:

1. Go to http://www.readingplus.com/


2. Click on "login"


3. Click on "student login"


4. Enter the site code, which is hia117


5. Go down to Rodriguez period 1 or 2. If you do not see your name in one class, look in the other.


6. Click on your name then enter your password. You pword is mdcps and your student number. For example, if your student number is 8675209, your password would be: mdcps8675309. (Gaby, Shantell and Kiara, I had to add a zero to the beginning of your student number, so be sure to include that).


7. Once you are in, you will start reading stories. Be advised that the lines will disappear to get you to read faster. Finish a whole activity, and if you want, do another. I will be tracking your progress, and you will be getting a grade.

LOVE YOU and HAVE FUN!

Haiti Relief Drive

C'mon, guys, there's one last chance to donate goods to Haiti. By Tuesday, let's get as much in as we can!

Thanks to periods 1 & 2 for their donations, photos, voices, and contributions to this video. I am very proud of the job you did, even the cackling that we called singing. LOL! In addition, I want to give a special thanks to Joyce and Geisa for their work on the video, Vanessa and Kiara for sending me the sound recordings, and MOSTLY to Ms. Loubeau for organizing the Haiti Relief Drive!

OK, my beautiful kids, just know that if any of you need a helping hand, you can LEAN ON ME! Love you!

REMEMBER TO PAUSE THE PLAYLIST AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLOG BEFORE YOU START THIS VIDEO.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

FCAT WRITES IS TOMORROW, 2/9!

I know that you are going to rock this test!

Remember the CRUNCH time plan:

Concentate on the prompt and make a web!
Reel them in with a sharp hook and thesis
Use FRIES that are FULL OF FLAVOR!
Never forget to use transitions
Conclusions are key
Hand them a FEAST, not a meal or a snack!

Also remember to GET A GOOD NIGHT'S REST and to be on time!

Just a reminder of C-Rod's prize program for FCAT Writing (Remember what I told you - I would rather spend my money on you than myself. Investing in you, I know I will have a HUGE return!):

4.0 or higher - SUNDAE SOCIAL DURING LUNCH
5 or higher - $5 and a PIZZA PARTY DURING LUNCH
6 or higher - DINNER WITH C-ROD

Remember, prizes are cumulative! If you get a six, you get them all!

Happy Writing!

Periods 5 & 6

Are you ready for our next novel? You better be! LOL!

Here it is! It's Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing.

The first lines read, "The order to abandon ship was given at 5 p.m. For most of the men, however, no order was needed because by then everybody knew that the ship was done and that it was time to give up trying to save her. There was no show of fear or even apprehension. They had fought unceasingly for three days and they had lost. They accepted their defeat almost apathetically. They were simply too tired to care."

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Awesome! You need to get your copy by 2/16. Whether you bring in $10 for me to buy your copy, you borrow it from a library, or you pick up your own copy, you need to have it. If you plan to have me buy it for you, I need the money by 2/9. Remember, you do not have to buy it, but you do need to get to a library ASAP.

Looking forward to it! Finally, a novel the guys will enjoy! LOL!!!

Periods 6 & 5 Work!

Read this document below (you may have to download it first) then answer the questions that follow. If you did not attend the field trip today (period 6), then you must do it in class, finish it and give your work to the teacher. Those on the fieldtrip for period 6, as well as ALL of 5th period, MUST TURN THIS IN next week. (Per 6 - 2/2; Per 5 - 2/3). Period 5, you will also have homework on Monday night, so you may want to do this now.

Getting ready to head to school for our field trip to the Zora Neale Hurston Festival! SO EXCITED!!!!! Love you all. Standby for photos. :o) Miss you!

The Whistle

OUR FIELDTRIP!

5th and 6th period kids - Be here NO LATER THAN 6:30 a.m. We will meet by the bus loop. You can wear jeans (NO SHORTS), a nice t-shirt and a jacket. Wear sneakers, too (we will be taking a walking tour). Bring $20-$30 for food, as we will be eating breakfast and dinner off the Turnpike...and you can buy lunch at the festival. Tell your parents that we will be back between 10 and 11 p.m. You can give them a definite time when we stop for dinner.

I cannot wait! Bring your cameras!!!!! Love you!

Periods 3 & 4 - Assignment :o)

In the first of the journal entries in TFWD, there is talk about sororities and gangs. In sororities, Greek letters symbolize their "club." In gangs, however, graffiti often is their tag. In both sororities and gangs, they use symbols and letters to indicate their affiliation, and they serve as a part of their identity.

You are going to put Greek symbols together to create a name or nickname, or you can create a graffiti version of your name. Remember, color is just as important as letters, as they symbolize certain personality traits.

Create your name on an 8.5 x 11" sheet of paper, and spruce it up nicely! Can't wait to see them!
This is due Friday for 4th and Monday for 3rd.