April 15 class assignments

Hi class,

Time to get back to our classwork. Hope you all had great weeks off for your break.

Here is the rest of your writing assignment due on Wednesday, April 14 10 a.m. In class, you were given assignment of writing a character sketch of a hitch-hiker picked up on a rainy day. Your essay should be at least 5 paragraphs but no longer than two pages. It must be double-spaced, using 12-point type (Times Roman or like font), with 1-inch margins. At the top of the page, you must have a header with your name, date and name of assignment: character sketch. Anything filed after 10 a.m. will lose the two points for being on time.

Journals are due at the beginning of class on April 15.

Here are your vocabulary words for this week. You will be tested on them on Thursday, 15th. Write sentences for 10 words that you select from the list.

despondent
forfeit
jaunt
knotty
lobbyist
malady
nonchalance
orthodox
palatable
quaff
renovation
savant
therapeutic
vignette
zealot

That's it. I'll see you all on Thursday.

April 1 class assignments

No foolin!

Write a compare and contrast essay on subjects of your choice. Your essay must be no more than 2 pages long, double space in 12-point Times Roman or similar font with 1-inch margins. You must have a header on the inside. The name of the essay is: compare and contrast. The essay is worth 30 points. It is due on March 31, 2010 at 10 a.m.

A comparison-and-contrast essay is an expository nonfiction essay that explains how two or more subjects are similar and different. An effective essay includes:
• Explores two or more topics that are similar enough to make an effective comparison.
• Clearly shows through details and examples how two or more subjects are similar and different.
• Is logically and effectively organized.
• Clearly indicates the connection among ideas.
• Closes with summary of main points or an evaluation of the subject’s overall points of familiarity and difference.

Your journal is due in class on April 1. Write about your favorite spring break and tell why.

The following is your vocabulary words for this week. The definitions and 10 sentences are due Tuesday, March 30 at 10 a.m. You will be tested on the vocabulary words on April 1, as well as vocabulary on this week's handout (apostrophes).

digress
disdain
jaded
longevity
malady
nostalgia
orator
perjury
radical
sequester
tenuous
unscathed
verbose
whet
zealot

That's it. Reminder that we will not meet the week of April 5-9, as we are off for spring break. Thanks.

Mr. Mead

March 23 assignments

Class,

Journals are due at the beginning of class March 23. Write about what you plan to do during Spring Break.

This week's essay assignment is in two parts: 1) resume; and 2) cover letter. The information from class will be included in an attachment to the outgoing email to the class. Both resume and letter are due together, sent as two attachments, by Wednesday, March 24 at 10 a.m.

The resume must be one page, using 12-point, Times Roman or like font. Use 1-inch margins. The letter must be one page, in 12-point Times Roman, with 1-inch margins. For these two essays only, you do not have to include a header on your pages. For your resume, you must include 3 references, either a professional reference or a personal reference. A professional reference is someone who has supervised you in either a job or volunteer position. A personal reference vouches for your character. The three references must include name, position, company he's with (if it's a church position, list church and position) and contact information, both phone and email info.

The following vocabuulary words are due by Tuesday, March 23 at 10 a.m. Define all 15 words and write sentences for any 10 of those words you choose.

castigate
discredit
gait
irony
jubilant
lavish
malinger
nondescript
omnipotent
parasite
quirk
recluse
spontaneity
tactful
undermine

This is a really busy weekend for me from a catering standpoint, and I won't be able to get to any grading until Monday. Thanks for your patience.

Mr. Mead

March 18 class assignments

Hi class,

I apologize for the tardiness of the assignment being sent out. My new job is taking up all my time, and I was sick the whole weekend. I missed vocabulary again, so there won't be a test on Thursday. I know you're all heart-broken.

Journals due at the beginning of class Thursday.

This week's essay is due Wednesday at 10 a.m. It is a one-page letter of complaint. Follow the worksheet from class. You must include all four elements in your letter. It must be a real problem mailed to a real person (though you aren't going to actually mail it). You must have the person's address, so if it's a city official, do a little research and find an address. Include a salutation at the end and your name.

On this week's essay only, do not worry about having the proper header, etc. Have Wednesday, March 17, 2010 as the actual date. Your essay should be no more than one page in length, in 12-point Times Roman or like font, with one-inch margins. For this essay only, do not double space. I want the letter to look just as it would going out to a real person.

Any questions email me. Thanks.

Mr. Mead

March 11 class

Class,

Here is this week's writing assignment prompt:

Writing
Mr. Mead
March 8, 2010
Response to Literature essay

The final draft for your Response to Literature essay (“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”) is due on Wednesday, March 11. The essay is worth 30 total points. The essay is to be two pages long, double-spaced, 12-point type, similar to Times Roman, with one-inch margins.

Your essay must include the following:
• Identify the work or works being discussed.
• Supports the writer’s interpretations with precise examples, citations or quotations.
• Is organized clearly and effectively.
• Offers an opinion, a judgment or an evaluation based on close scrutiny or specific elements.

Your essay will include the following strategy. These elements will help you best understand the literature you’re reading.
• Literal level. Include plot, character and setting.
• Personal allusions. Reveal associations or memories this piece of literature brings to mind.
• Themes. Explore the theme or themes revealed in the literature.
• Analysis of literary devices. Explain the ways in which the plot, setting, character and theme work are separate elements, as well as how they work together.
• Literary allusions. Describe other works that have similar elements or that come to mind when you read this work.
• Evaluation. Judge the work based on how well its literary elements combine to create an effective fresh piece of literature.

In order to best present your essay, you must also research the “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” author, Ambrose Bierce. Who was he? When did he live? Where? What other writings is he known for?

Good luck.

Feb. 25 class

Class,

I forgot to collect journals yesterday morning, so I'll check this week's next week. If you missed, get it done by next week, and you will get full credit. For this coming week, you have a free-write assignment. I will check for 2 journal entries on Feb. 25 class. Leave your journals at the front table when you arrive on Thursday.

For vocabulary, you will not be tested on last week's list; you will only be tested on this week's vocabulary list (see list below).

Here is your prompt for this week's writing assignment. Because we just did the King Papers field trip, and while it's fresh in our minds, I'm moving that essay up to Feb. 24. Your short story will be due March 4. This will allow us more time to work on your short story during the Feb. 24 class.

One of the quotes that touched me during the field trip was the following from MLK: "The time is always right to do what is right." Using that as a basis, you will write a 5-paragraph essay reflecting how you determine what right is? Include in your essay what you believe MLK used as his basis for determining what right was when it came to civil liberties and social justice in the 1950s and 1960s.

I also want you to listen to his "I have a dream" speech from Washington, D.C., in 1963. You can follow the link below to listen to it.

Your essay should include the proper header (name, date, title of essay: King. Your essay should be no longer than 1 1/2 pages, be in 12-point type, have 1-inch margins, be set in Times Roman or like font.

The "I have a dream" link:



Here is this week's vocabulary words. Write 10 sentences using 10 of the words that you choose.

candid
censure
diligent
fortuitous
garble
jocular
judicious
lampoon
meticulous
nonchalant
onus
perceptive
refute
sage
tactful

That's it.

Mr. Mead

For Feb. 18 class

Class,

Reminder that for our next class on Feb. 18, we are going on the field trip to Stanford. We meet at the Friends Church at 9 a.m., and not 9:30. See the note from the previous post for all the details. Mrs. Diehl and I will be driving.

Journals are due at the beginning of class, Feb. 18. Write 1 page about any ol' thing you want to write about.

Writing assignment

The current short story essay (fiction) assignment has two parts. The final, 3-4 page essay is due Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. I am finishing up the prompt, which I will send out as an e-mail and put up on the blog later. I will send an e-mail later that includes the 4-page handout from class; it will be in a PDF file, so make sure you scroll down and see all four pages. Disregard the last half page on the lyric poem.

The part that is due on Feb. 17 at 10 a.m. is your prewrite, filling out the following information. Describe the main characters, setting, plot, conflict, narrator, if any, themes, climax and resolution. The details do not have to perfectly match your essay, and some of the above will change as you write and rewrite. The idea is to spend the first week thinking about your short story and writing down notes. If you have questions, email me or call me.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary is changing slightly. This week, there will be 15 definitions you will need to turn in by Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 10 a.m. In addition, you will choose 10 of the words and write sentences. You may change the form of the word; e.g., use it in past tense, but you must use the definition you include for the word.

Here are this week's words:

camaraderie

candid

deteriorate

dilemma

frugal

jargon

jeopardize

mandatory

mundane

negligence

oblivious

paradox

quandary

ramble

scrutinize

That's it. Write often, write thoughtfully, write well.

Mr. Mead

Mrs. Thomas Gage

 

For Feb. 11 class

Writing
Feb. 5, 2010
Character Sketch Essay

Due: Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 10 a.m.

Your Character Sketch essay is to be 4 paragraphs long, but no longer than a page. It should include the usual header at the top of the page, be double spaced, in 12-point Times Roman or like font, with 1-inch margins. The essay itself is worth 30 points, and a brief prewrite is worth 5 points and due on Thursday, Feb. 11 in class. If you are late, you lose 2 points.

For your essay, you should observe someone briefly, write down your observations, then sketch them with your pen, so to speak. Do not do a classmate. You may write about a friend, neighbor, relative or someone you meet out in public,such as a grocery clerk, a waitress or someone you meet on the street.

Read the two handouts to get tips on writing the essay. An example of a character sketch is included in the attached PDF files. You are not simply describing the person with adjectives or descriptive terms, but rather, you are describing them by telling about their speech, their mannerisms,etc. You decide which qualities you want to emphasize in the sketch. Make your character come alive through his words, actions, thoughts (or someone else's comments) or a combination of these. Try not to use stereotypes for your character. Do not combine two characters into one.

For those of you who missed class, view the accompanying photo on the blog of Mrs. Thomas Gage, circa 1771 (in the post above this). First, write down as many adjectives or descriptive terms you can, then write a paragraph about her,using some of your observations. Email that back to me by Monday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m. It is worth 5 points.

Vocabulary
The following vocabulary terms are due on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. The vocabulary quiz will be on Thursday, Feb. 11.

bilk
bombast
burgeon
byline
cacophony
deplore
depravity
deprecate
deride
desecrate
despondent
falter
fanaticism
fastidious
flustered
forfeit
Intransigent
intrepid
intuitive
irony

Field trip
The field trip to Stanford to view the Martin Luther King Papers is on for Thursday, Feb. 18. To give us a little more cushion time-wise, we will meet at 8:45 at the church and leave at 9 a.m. I anticipate getting back between 2:30 and 3. Here are the key details:

Mrs. Diehl and are planning to drive, and we can get 13 combined in our two cars. There are 12 kids and two adults. If one kid is sick, we're ok. If everybody goes, we'll need another driver. That week, we will be keeping a close head count of who is going.

Cost is $5 per student, which covers gas,tolls and parking. Bring a sack lunch and a drink, which we will eat there on campus together. I am trying to arrange with a friend to give us a short tour of the campus, as Stanford is one of the most picturesque campuses, as well as one of the foremost learning institutes in the world.

Here is the web site link:



http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php

Holler if you have questions.

For Feb. 4 class

Class,

Here's this week's assignments. I am off to Monterey for a business appointment. The late essays from this week that were turned in late will be graded and returned on Monday.

Fictionalized Journal Entries essay

This week’s assignment is ongoing from today until Tuesday. Between today and Tuesday, you are required to write four journal entries, all one page in length. I will check for your four journal entries on Feb. 4. All four must be dated. For all four entries, you will follow the pattern discussed in class and on the worksheet.

This is a part of a short term in which we will cover fictionalized writing, but in stages. Next will be characterization sketch. On Tuesday, you will pick your favorite journal entry and type it in as your Fictionalized Journal Entry essay, due Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 10 a.m., sent to me by email. Under my new grading Rubric, turning in the assignment on time is worth 2 points, zero if it’s late. It’s an either/or situation. If you are sick or are unable to complete the assignment on time, I expect an email or phone call from your parents stating the reason. Otherwise, it’s unexcused.

Your essay should be approximately 5 paragraphs in length, but no longer than 2 pages typed, in 12-point Times Roman, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins. If you write longer than 2 pages, you will receive a deduction of 2 points per page. Some of you are going 3-4 pages on your 5-paragraph essay assignments, and your paragraphs are too long and have multiple ideas.

Make sure you slug your e-mail attachment properly, with your name and assignment listed: for instance, Meadjournal.doc. That is worth 2 points on the Rubric, zero if you simply slug it something like: fictionalizedjournal.doc. On the interior, you are expected to have a 3-line header typed thusly:

Your name
Date
Assignment

The header should also be in 12-point type, single spaced, with a space between your header and essay. You may title your essay any way you want. Failure to include the proper header is a deduction of 2 points on the Rubric. The essay is worth 30 points, and your prewrite notes are worth 5 points. From now on, your prewrite will be turned in at the beginning of class every Thursday. I realize you’re writing your notes on notebook paper, and it’s awkward asking you to retype them and file them with your essay.

We are now in the second semester of working together, and half the assignments are done wrong, and it’s wasting my valuable time. I want to focus on grading your essays and giving you helpful comments on how to improve your writing, not renaming your files and typing in the headers myself. I estimate spending 30 minutes doing your work. I can’t have 12 assignments turned in with the same slug. Every essay you send me must be distinguishable from your other essays, as well as those sent by other students.


Journals are due at the beginning of class on Thursday. This week, four journal entries are due. Please date each one.

The following vocabulary list is due Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 10 a.m. We will have a quiz on the terms on Thursday, Feb. 4.

benign
bequeath
berate
debunk
deliberate
demagogue
demur
denounce
explosion
extenuating
instigate
insurgent
integrity
intermittent

That's it. Have a good week.

Mr. Mead

Spring Week 2

Hi class,

Here's this week's assignments. Don't forget to talk to your parents about the field trip to Stanford on Feb. 18.

This week's Observation essay is due Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. In my new rubric, filing on time is worth 2 points; missing without telling me a reason before the deadline (illness, for example)is worth zero. Each day you're late is a deduction of 3 points. Your prewrite is worth 5 points, and the essay is worth 30. There will be no more warnings about attaching your notes to essay in one document. There will be no more leeway on tardiness. Life is about making deadlines, and we have too many people missing them. In real life, you get fired for being consistently late. This is an important life lesson.

Your journals are due at the beginning of class, Thursday, Jan. 28 at 9:30 on the table up front. This week's journal assignment is to write about another activity you witnessed this week. 1 page is required.

No grammar this week.

This week's vocabulary Week 9 assignment is due Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 10 a.m. email me your list of 15 definitions by that time. Filing on time is worth 1 point; tardy is zero. Here are the words:

Belittle
Belligerent
Bemoan
Benevolent
Convivial
Covert
Curtail
Debacle
Exasperation
Exemplary
Exhaustive
Inevitable
Ingrate
Innovate
Inscrutable

Have a great weekend. Any questions, call or email me. Thanks.

In case you're wondering, that's my son in the picture above, on his graduation day in December. All of you can do great things if you set your mind to it. My son worked hard to accomplish his goals, and I'm proud of him.

Mr. Mead

Week 1 homework

Class,

Here's this week's homework assignments. And, Jesse, I've decided to hold your sweatshirt for ransom. It will take a dozen cookies to release it.

NOTE: VOCABULARY IS CANCELED THIS WEEK!!

Five-paragraph Reflective Essay is due Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. Also, turn in a typed notes or prewrite page. Turn them in together in same file.

Reminder, next Thursday, we meet at 9:30 in the classroom, then walk across the street to the Lindsey Museum to observe the wildlife for an hour, then return to the classroom. Bring your journal to take notes with.

Upon returning to class, leave your journals on the front table.

A vocabulary test will take place after we return.

Thank you.

Mr. Mead