12-9-13

Students are finishing up Romeo and Juliet today and finding pictures to represent what they've read.  Students will also have a vocabulary quiz next class and review the play!

12-4-13

Students are choosing their reading/watching/listening today as they learn about Act 4 of Romeo and Juliet.  We will also be taking vocabulary quiz 9 and doing some reading!

12-3-13

Students have been reading Romeo and Juliet.  We are through Act 3 and going to push to complete by the end of next week.  We are taking vocabulary 9 quiz next class.  Students will be reading and writing a lot in the next few classes.

11-26-13

Sorry, I've been running behind here lately.  We are through Act 3 of Romeo and Juliet today and research papers have been handed back.  We will review vocabulary after break and then take a quiz.  We are trying to finish Romeo and Juliet as we head into the week before Christmas break so we can complete our EDP unit.

11-18-13

Students read about pollution in China for some informational reading and writing today.  Students also were supposed to finish reading Act I of Romeo and Juliet so we can discuss next class.  We had some reading time today too-- if vocab 8 quiz wasn't given today it will be next time.

11-13-13

Students are scurrying to finish up projects and research for tomorrow's deadline.  Students also wrote down or typed up vocabulary 8 list.

11-11-13

Students took vocab 7 quiz today.  We discussed being responsible and the importance of learning MLA style formatting.  Students worked on projects and read a bit.

11-8-13

Rough drafts for research were due the last two days and it was very disappointing!  Many did not have it printed as was told to them.  So, I am waiting for next class and hoping they are printed for that.  We are wrapping up construction of projects.  We are learning subject verb agreement and rationalizing it.  Students have a vocab 7 quiz next class.

11-6-13

Students took some notes after a little pop quiz on subject verb agreement to better understand this idea.  We discussed what students are learning in groups in terms of research and working with others.  Students learned what is expected of the research paper that the first rough draft is due Friday.  Students worked in groups to complete a rough draft and/or construction.

11-4-13

Student recorded number of books read today.  We also worked on research and construction.  Students started a new vocabulary list too.

11-1-13

IT'S NOVEMBER ALREADY!  We have undertaken a research and construction project about the Globe Theater.  Students are learning how to write a research paper and are constructing a model of the Globe.  We have taken a test and some have retested.  DON'T GIVE UP!  Students are always welcome to come in and demonstrate that they have learned information to make up points even on the retest.  Today we wrote an AoW and discussed theme/central idea.  Students struggle with the idea of theme and I want to cure that :)

10-25-13

Students worked in their groups today to come up with a claim about their research on the Globe Theater.  Students also worked on the construction of their globe models.  We looked at a pre quiz for subject verb agreement and did a bit of reading.

10-23-13

Students learned about the Globe Theater in class today.  Students were put into groups to create a model of it and write a research paper about it.  The focus over the next couple of weeks will be these projects and beginning Romeo and Juliet.

10-21-13

Students took vocabulary 5 quiz today and we introduced Shakespeare.  We discussed questions that students had.  Students will be able to remediate their tests by viewing videos, taking notes, and getting a signed sheet that says they prepared this time.  Finally, we need students to bring in building toys to complete a project over the next couple of weeks. If a family has extra legos or other building toys, we could use them for our project!

10-18-13

Students took a short story test and also updated reading goals and wrote a bit to tell me how they know their books are difficult or easy for them.

10-15-13

Students discussed types of nouns today in preparation for an assessment coming up this week. Students wrote a thesis that was graded on the spot to see how they are progressing in that area. Also, we started vocabulary 5 today.

10-14-13

Students wrote an AoW today and we discussed how to format that better for the students' learning about informational reading and writing.  Students took a vocab quiz today too, spelling and usage.  Finally students did some reading and self assessing to prepare for a unit test at the end of this week.

10-8-13

Students discussed equality today.  We wrote sentences and found pictures for vocabulary 4.  And, students updated reading goals and wrote about setting today.

10-2

Students finished the short story "Harrison Bergeron" and completed some notes about a few literary terms to go with it so we can discuss the story next time.  We took the SRI test online to determine reading and comprehension levels today.  We will have a VOCABULARY quiz next time on spelling and usage of each word.

10-1-13

Students started reading the short story Harrison Bergeron today and commenting on some literary terms in a document.  Students also started vocabulary 3 and found pictures for each word.  Students need to study spelling and usage of these words.

9-23

Students started vocabulary 2 today.  Students are to write up some insights for some terms from The Veldt for next class.  Students need to be doing some reading at home as many are behind in reading goals.

9-19

Students started reviewing types of nouns.  Students also completed an AoW today.  That will be added to their grades for posting on Monday. 

9-18

Students finished the short story "The Veldt" today.  Students received a HOMEWORK assignment that included them adding some notes to some terms about the story.  Those should be done Friday and Monday.  Students wrote about a theme in their books that they are currently reading too. 

9-17-13

Students read part of the short story "The Veldt" today.  We discussed remediating work and how to email me and what information to put in the email.  Students learned how to write a thesis statement and tried it today. 

9-13-13

Students were made very aware of expectations for work and how to make up work and how to communicate with me.  Students also took a vocabulary quiz.  Students did some discussion about technology and reprimanding.  We started the short story "The Veldt."  Great classes today!

Syllabus

ENGLISH 9

Mr. Annen

See all that is happening in my class at the following web address:

www.mrannensenglishclasses.blogspot.com

I want my students to learn to write better, read better, and think better! Included in that will be lessons on writing, reading, grammar, vocabulary, and other subjects within the English classroom.

I really enjoy the employment of technology in my classroom and will be using new tablets this year as well as the laptops daily that the students receive.

This is what your student will be doing in English class this year:

Writing once a week, starting with a thesis and ending with full five paragraph essays.

Reading a book once a month is a goal of mine for my students-- This is MY goal for my students. (We’ll need to work on this together--parent,student,me.)

Learning grammar and usage so as to use it in writing and speaking.

This is how your student will be doing the previous things in my class this year:

Watching short videos on a topic and then working and talking about it in class.

Using Moodle to complete quizzes and other online evaluations as well as participating in forum discussions.

Using a tablet that will stay in my classroom to read and to learn grammar and writing via the apps on it.

Grading

Grading will be based on how your student performs and improves in writing, how well your student completes his/her reading, how your student performs on various project based learning activities, and how your student performs on various quizzes, tests, and exams.

Note: My grades are updated every time we have seminar. Please check Infinite Campus for grades. Please be sure and ask your student what he/she is doing at school. Please don’t wait four weeks to see how your student is doing in class. Please expect me to email you if your student isn’t doing work or is a problem in class (as long as your email is correct in Infinite Campus).

Class Rules

Students will follow all rules that are put in place by the student hand book and our administration.

We will also be developing a classroom social contract in our second class of the year so that students know exactly what to expect.

9-11-13

Today students practiced using their new vocabulary words and were instructed on what the quiz would look like.  We reviewed articles of the week and discussed how to remediate scores. Students must email me with what was fixed in their assignment in order for me to change their score.  We set reading goals for the year today.  Finally, students did a free write on technology and their relationships with parents.  Quiz next class.

9-10-13

Students worked on their first vocabulary assignment today.  They were given 5 words to find prefixes and suffixes for as well as a few other things.  We discussed the words, students wrote down the definitions, and they will be quizzes at the end of the week.  Students are also encouraged to find a book that they will read and enjoy. 

9-6 and 9-9

Today I taught students how to do a close reading for an article of the week.  Once a week students will read an article and highlight interesting information, comment on the article, and write a short response based on a question and use a quote as instructed in class.  Missing work should always be made up and students need to find a book for my class ASAP.

9-5-13

Today students wrote an essay to show what they know about writing.  This will help me determine what is necessary for their writing needs and better prepare them for next year.  It will also be a way for me to see what kind of progress they are making throughout the year.  Students learned how to use Google Drive and Remind 101 today too.  I am asking students to try and find a book for my class by Friday (9-6-13).  Please help your students find a book if they are struggling.

BOOK LOVE 2013-2014

Hello parents of Writing students,

A central goal of Writing is to establish a reading habit in the busy lives of
seniors in high school. I am hoping we can work together to recapture the pleasure
and passion of readers. This letter is long, but the assumptions it rests upon are too
important to be treated in a superficial manner. Please take the time to read this.

The best books challenge our beliefs by helping us see through different eyes
—to live a different life. For example, Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult was wildly
popular last year, but it is about a school shooting and I think we’d all rather believe
that couldn’t happen here and don’t want to live the details. Yet reading allows us to
confront our worst fears and live through them. Students love this book and I
recommend it to them.

I won’t know the details of every book students read and refer to this
semester, and I won’t remember the details of all the books I recommend to
students. What I seek for all of my students is a compulsion to read—for pleasure—
for knowledge—for a passion for story or information that will keep them into the
pages of a book past our assigned time for reading—past our goal of eight books
read this semester to 25 or 40 books in 18 weeks, as many of my former students
have.

This has tremendous benefits. Here are a few:
• Reading relieves stress. School is stressful. Reading takes you
out of the present and into another place and time; it is a perfect
escape.
• Reading builds stamina to prepare students for college. Reading for
an hour or two in one sitting is a basic expectation in college. In this
class we will exercise muscles soon to be strained in the coming years.
Reading for fluency and stamina has been proven to improve the
reading rate for students. Fast reading develops confidence and an
appetite for books as well as teaching vocabulary in context, which
improves writing, but it only happens when students find books they
want to read. But the truth is, some of those books might make you
uncomfortable.
• There is a lot of talk in the media that ‘students today won’t read,’ but I
believe students substitute all of those other distractions (the internet,
TV, etc.) if they feel no passion for the book assigned to them. In my
experience, students who haven’t been readers since elementary
school will suddenly become quite passionate about reading with the
right book in their hands. But those books might challenge your
values. Is that okay with you? Can your child choose to read Crank by
Ellen Hopkins, which delves into a teenager’s drug addiction?
I believe we have to trust these young adults more. We have to trust that books
won’t corrupt them anymore than the movies The Dark Knight or Jackass might.It is more important that they’re reading! So you may pick up a book left behind
on a nightstand and open to a passage with the details of a group of child
soldiers in Sudan mercilessly slaughtering an entire village (A Long Way Gone:
Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah) and wonder why reading it is a
homework assignment, and I will answer, “Your son or daughter chose it.” I might
have recommended it because I read it and loved it, or the book may be
unfamiliar to me because your child borrowed it from another student. The
bottom line: I will not place a tight filter on what is read in this class and I’m
asking for your support in this. I hope you will talk to your child about what he/she
is reading this semester.

I suggest you get a copy of a book and read it if you’re concerned about the
content.  If you want to know more about a book your child is reading, please try the
School Library Journal web site, the American Library Association web site, or
even Amazon.com.

Because I respect your role as parents and the traditions you hold sacred, if
you want me to more closely monitor your child’s choices this semester, by all
means, call me and we’ll work out a plan that we can both contribute to.
If you read this, it means you understand books won’t be banned in
my classroom and your child will be allowed to choose what he/she
reads.

Thanks for your support,
Mr. Annen


P.S. Our classroom benefits every year from cast offs. Please send books you
no longer need to our library, especially ones you’ve loved, if you can bear to part
with them.. Share your passion for reading.

(This is borrowed from Penny Kittle, author of Book Love)

Welcome Back!!!

This year we will do more reading and writing than you've ever done and you'll love it!  I can't wait to get started :)

Week of May 1

It's been awhile since I've posted because we've been continuing in the Book Love tradition of lots of reading, writing about it, and setting goals to achieve each week.  The students, overall, have done wonderfully!  I have students reading 1000 pages a week!  I have students reading who don't read!  I still have some who are a struggle to get reading, but I truly believe this has been a great undertaking!  We are also completing grammar work, writing work, poetry work.  Please contact me if you have any questions about missing work.  Students are to email me when work is done and I will enter is shortly thereafter.

Week of 4-8-13

Book Love is going so well!! I think most of my students are reading and finding books that they enjoy! I am really trying hard to find books that all of my students enjoy so feel free to recommend books to your kids and send me any that you don't want.  We are also working on writing and poetry.  Class is really going well right now.

Week of 3-25-13

This week is a short week before Spring Break and we will be primarily studying poetry, but I need your castoff books.  Kids are writing poetry and creating art with poetry pictures.  Be sure and ask them what they are working on.  Students should be looking for a books that they want to read when we come back from Spring Break.

BOOK LOVE

Hello parents of our students,

A central goal of English class is to establish a reading habit in the busy lives of

students in high school. I am hoping we can work together to recapture the pleasure

and passion of readers. This letter is long, but the assumptions it rests upon are too

important to be treated in a superficial manner. Please take the time to read this and

know what you’re signing before you do.

The best books challenge our beliefs by helping us see through different eyes

—to live a different life.

I won’t know the details of every book students read and refer to this

Marking period, and I won’t remember the details of all the books I recommend to

students. What I seek for all of my students is a compulsion to read—for pleasure—

for knowledge—for a passion for story or information that will keep them into the

pages of a book past our assigned time for reading.  This has tremendous benefits.

 Here are a few:

• Reading relieves stress. School can be stressful. Reading takes you

out of the present and into another place and time; it is a perfect

escape.

• Reading builds stamina to prepare students for college. Reading for

an hour or two in one sitting is a basic expectation in college. In this

class we will exercise muscles soon to be strained in the coming years.

Reading for fluency and stamina has been proven to improve the

reading rate for students. Fast reading develops confidence and an

appetite for books as well as teaching vocabulary in context, which

improves writing, but it only happens when students find books they

want to read. But the truth is, some of those books might make you

uncomfortable.

• There is a lot of talk in the media that ‘students today won’t read,’ but I

believe students substitute all of those other distractions (the internet,

TV, etc.) if they feel no passion for the book assigned to them. In my

experience, students who haven’t been readers since elementary

school will suddenly become quite passionate about reading with the

right book in their hands. But those books might challenge your

values. Is that okay with you?

I believe we have to trust these young adults more. We have to trust that books

won’t corrupt them anymore than the movies might.

It is more important that they’re reading! So you may pick up a book left behind

on a nightstand and open to a passage and wonder why reading it is a

homework assignment, and I will answer, “Your son or daughter chose it.” I might

have recommended it because I read it and loved it, or the book may be

unfamiliar to me because your child borrowed it from another student. The

bottom line: I will not place a tight filter on what is read in this class and I’m

asking for your support in this. I hope you will talk to your child about what he/she

is reading this semester.

I suggest you get a copy of a book and read it if you’re concerned about the

content.

Thanks for your support,

Mr. Annen

P.S. Our classroom benefits every year from cast offs. Please send books you

no longer need to our library, especially ones you’ve loved, if you can bear to part

with them. Better yet… come to class and share a book with us. Share your

passion for reading; get to know these amazing students at Coopersville. I would love

to have you join us some morning. Thank you.

(Much of this is borrow from Penny Kittle’s Book Love seminar that I attended recently.)

3-18-13

We are wrapping up Romeo and Juliet with a quiz.   Please check the portal for missing work or make up work to complete over the next week.  We will be endeavoring to learn about poetry over the next couple of weeks.  Please ask the kids what they are learning about poetry and if they like any of it:)

Week of 2-25

This week we are going to get through Act 3 of Romeo and Juliet. We are also starting a new vocab list for acts 3 and 4.  Students should be completing their online publications.  We may complete a writing about feuding/gangs related to Romeo and Juliet too.  Students should have taken notes on a short video about pronoun agreement that we'll be discussing in class.

Week of Feb. 18

This week we will be reading more Romeo and Juliet and also writing about it.  Students are writing about metaphors and explaining them.  Those should be in the student drive folder for literature.  Students are also wrapping up an online publication this week that will be published this week to a blog for each class.  Conferences are this week too.  We are looking forward to reading and watching Romeo and Juliet this week and writing an article of the week.  Students were encouraged to do some writing to make up for performances on memorizations too.

Week of 2-12-13

Well, another snow shortened week but we are going to be busy this week!  We are working on some online publications that we may or may not have posted this week!  I'll post them here when they are done, or links to them.  Students will be reciting the Prologue from Romeo and Juliet for a couple of days (not literally).  We are starting a new set of vocabulary and reading Act 2.  Conferences are next Thursday (Feb. 21).

Week of 2-4-13

Last week being a snow week, we are pushing some things back and mentioning them for this week.  The students need to memorize the Prologue for Romeo and Juliet by Feb. 12 and 13.  They will be reciting it in front of class.  Students are reading Romeo and Juliet aloud as well as writing in class about it.  Students have taken a vocabulary quiz and written an article of the week and will be doing so this week too.  Students are also working on an online publication with more to come on that next week hopefully.

Welcome to Second Semester English 9

Our goal is to get our students reading and writing more and engage them! We are starting with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and we'll do most of that reading in class. I am also asking students to bring in a reading for themselves to leave at school or an E-Reader that has books they like. You can also access www.half.com and buy really cheap books that are great. We are learning this week about Shakespeare's language, background, and plays. We are also going to be completing vocabulary and starting on some online publications that we will try to attach to this blog for your enjoyment!