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