Fitz Freshman English 

Mid-Year Exam Prep Portfolio

Failing to plan is the same as planning to fail
~Ben Franklin

Your mid-year exam is composed of four parts. Share with me as Last Name Midyear. I estimate it will take six-eight hours to thoughtfully work through this prep sheet. Four to five hours will be in in class time. The rest is on your own—so “Eat your cow” lest the King will have your head.

1. The first part is this Exam Prep Portfolio. Complete this over the course of the next week. It is meant to mimic the amount of time you should spend preparing for a major exam.
   
   
2. The second part is to write five Exam Prep Metacognition’s. Three this week and two next week.. Be sure to put your metacognition’s in this portfolio in a timely way!
   
   
3. During the exam period, comment thoughtfully on your classmates’ “Power of Tradition” narrative paragraphs and “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” essay. Copy and paste your comments into the attached “Commenting Sheet.” 
   
   
4. The final task is to write a 350 word reflection/metacognition "after" finishing the exam that explores your exam experience. Post the metacognition at the top of your exam portfolio.

And then you are off until January. I do appreciate all of the hard work you have done during this first half of the year. 

Exam Prep Portfolio

Download Freshman Mid-Year Exam

Resources...to use as you need them

• Download A Child’s Christmas in Wales
• Download How to Write a Metacognition
• Download Design Writing: Top Five Sentence Building Techniques
• Download Worksheet: Comma Rules 1-10
• Download A-Maker: Narrative Paragraph: Level II
• Download Design Writing: Literary Analysis Essay Plan
• Download A-Maker: Literary Analysis Paragraph Level lI

The Heroic Cycle

Those who don't look, don't see...

~Fitz

Class Meetings:  Wednesday, Thursday & Friday

NOTE: Feel free to start studying for the exam. The Top Ten Comma Rules and Top Five Sentence Building Techniques will be a major component of the exam.

Downloads:

• Download Rubric: Heroic Cycle
• Exam Prep: Sentence Building Techniques
• Exam Prep: Comma Rules 1-10

Comma Rules

There is a transformative power in knowing what to do--and why...

~Fitz

Class Meetings:  Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday

Downloads:

• xxx
• xxx

Literary Analysis

Give meaning to insight...

~Fitz

    This week we will begin our first major essay that explores three major themes in Books I-XII and also explores your experience reading, thus far, The Odyssey. It is a 1500 word essay which you will work on in a Pages doc shared with me. You may include two of your team analysis paragraphs (which must be cited). You must additionally write one of your own. The essay will also include a Literary Reflection paragraph. I will also give you Design Writing Plans for opening paragraphs, effective transitions and conclusions

The Essay is due after the second class period next week. This is not a week to procrastinate. The grade counts towards your winter term grade.

Use class time wisely and productively--and use the Design Writing plans assiduously. Look that word up!

This essay is intended to showcase your reading, writing and presentation skills, and can be used as a writing sample in secondary school applications.

Submit as a hard copy, a Pages doc, on your blog--and for extra credit as a podcast.

Class Meetings:  Tuesday, Wednesday, & Friday

Downloads:

• Download Design Writing: Literary Analysis:Reflection Essay
• How to Write Opening Paragraphs
• How to Create Transitions
• How to Craft Conclusions

Getting Halfway There

Learn from those who go before you...

~Fitz

Class Meetings:  Tuesday, Thursday & Friday

Updates: Last weeks Weekly Assignment Sheet is due before Wednesday's class

Downloads:

• Book 10
  

• Book 12

  
  
• Download 9th Grade Weekly Assignments 11:5-:11:11
• Download Design Writing: Narrative Story
• Lit Chart: Book X
• Lit Chart: Book XI
• Download Book 11 Research Paper #1

Telling a Good Story

It's only as hard as you make it...

~Fitz

Class Meetings:  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday

Downloads:

• Download 9th Grade Weekly Assignments 10:28-11-03
• Download Design Writing: Narrative Story

Weekly PDF for Tutors: Download 9th Grade Weekly Assignments 10:28-11-03

Books V-VI

A mighty book requires a mighty theme

~Herman Melville

Class Meetings:  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday

Downloads:

• Download 9th Weekly Assignments 10:21-10:27
• Download Design Writing: Literary Analysis Paragraph
• Lit Chart: Book V
• Lit Chart: Book VI

Audio Book 6

Weekly PDF Version: Download 9th Weekly Assignments 10:21-10:27

Book II & Book III

Do not cling to your boyhood. It's time you become a man
~The Odyssey 

Overview:

Class meets on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday

Downloads:

• Download Freshman Weekly: 10-7--10:13
• Lit Charts: Book II
• Lit Charts: Book III
• Download Fitz's Top Ten Comma Rules

Entering The Odyssey

How an ancient story shapes our lives...

Sing to me muse...

~The Odyssey

Update: Thursday

• When you finish your Power of Place and Power of Hard Times, do the following:

1. 1. Create a Pages doc with proper formatting using the Essay Template. Save it as "last name Power of Place" and "last name Power of Hard Times."  This will allow you to create a portfolio of your writing pieces, which we will later use to make an iBook portfolio of your best work. 
   2. Copy and paste to to your assignment sheet. This allows me to add feedback and comments.
   3. Put it up on your blog using the essay template. If it is over 300 words, format as an essay. If it is under 300 words, format as a single paragraph. 
   4. Copy and paste subtitle and text into the comment box in the dropbox for the assignment.

Saving digital docs in three places (which I call the "Triple Parachute") assures that your hard work will not be lost. If you have any questions or problems doing this, please let me know via email, and I can help you!

Getting in the Flow

“Don’t waste time waiting for inspiration. Begin, and inspiration will find you.”
― H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Overview:

We will spend one more week working on our writing skills before embarking on our reading of The Odyssey. I am ecstatic with the work you have been producing, and you should be proud of what you have created. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know by asking in the comment thread for this post.

Assignments:

Remember to fill out the assignments in the Weekly Assignment sheets AND complete any other required work listed below.

1. Belknap Essay: Finish revisions and post to blog. Use the Essay Template for correct formatting.
2. Blog Posting: Post Community, Place & Stewardship. & Journal Entry #3 to your blog
3. Independent Blog Entry: Topic of your choice
4. Power of Place Narrative Paragraph: Follow the Design Writing Plan. We will review in class
5. Comment on classmates posts: Comment on Power of Place & Community, Place & Stewardship
6. Read "Remember the Time:"  Read and post a thoughtful comment

Updates: 

• I have a concert on Sunday night, so the Weekly Assignment Sheet does not need to be completed until "before" your first class session next week.
• Essays should have your final revisions by Thursday or Friday. Remove my comments when you are sure you are done. Post to your blog using the Essay Template. (See my blog post for how to do this) I will then post your grade as soon as I can review the essays.
• Check out my my blog post "Essay Template" to help you format and create a cool blog post quickly. It will work for your journal entries, too!