Thank You For Being So Great! I'll Miss You All! - Ms. Cowley

TEST PREP WORKSHOP STUDENTS

Click on the following link to be brought to the test prep website.
Your user name and password is your first initial and your last name.

John Smith  = jsmith (both username and password)

http://www.RALLYEducationOnline.com/RTNY129

4/6 Wednesday's Notes and Homework

Hi Everyone!
   
Hope you've all been enjoying working on your pixton comics. I've started to see some finished products, and they are great!

IF you have not finished, you can work on your comic from any computer (home included... and if your home computer doesn't work, go to a friends and work on it, or head to your local library).

To access your work, you must go to pixton.com/schools and log in using the log in name and password you created. Make sure that when you log in, it's at "pixton for schools," and not "pixton for fun."

For your project, you must have your 6-8 sentence paragraph on the cartoon, as well as a direct quote from the book. If you do not have a copy of the book in your possession, you can either google search quotes from The Giver, or you can head to your local library to grab a book.

Remember the message from Friday's assembly... NO EXCUSES! You can complete this project and make it great!

On Friday, April 8th you have your Giver test!
On the test we will cover:
1. Character identification
2. Symbolism
3. Foreshadowing
4. Descriptive language
5. Antagonist/protagonist
6. Plot points
7. Vocab and spelling (you will be tested on a few of the 34 words)

FRIDAY APRIL 8TH
* GIVER TEST
* GIVER PACKET DUE
* PIXTON COMIC DUE
* LAST DAY OF THE QUARTER SO NOTHING CAN BE HANDED IN LATE

Hope you all enjoy your day off!
- Ms. C
*E-mail me if you have any questions!

4/1 Friday's Homework

Hello My Darlings!

Today, after the quiz, you received your The Giver Project Packet. It would be wise to start it, because as you know, it's due Friday, April 8th and it's going to count as a quiz grade.

If you are concerned about your quiz average (or just want to help boost your average) you can complete an extra credit assignment.

EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNMENT

Since the book The Giver has a very open ending, I want you to create a chapter 24 of the book (Remember there are only 23 chapters in the novel). For extra credit, write a 24th chapter to The Giver, and tell the reader what happened to Jonas and Gabe. Did they survive? Was it all a dream? Did they make it to Elsewhere? What happened to the community and the Giver? You decide!

I want it to be 2 pages, typed, Times New Roman, font size 12 in order for you to receive full credit. Be creative with this one! It's an easy, fun 5 extra points for your quiz average! It will be due Monday, April 4th.

Upcoming Assignment dates:
Monday, April 4: Extra credit assignment due
Friday, April 8: The Giver  Project Packet due.
Friday, April 8: Unit test on The Giver
Friday, April 8 (Busy day!): Last day of the 3rd quarter.

*** IF YOU THINK YOU ARE MISSING ANY ASSIGNMENTS, OR IF I HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT MISSING ASSIGNMENTS, PLEASE SEE ME AND GET THAT WORK IN!

Have a great weekend!
- Ms. C

3/31 Thursday's Homework

SPELLING AND VOCABULARY QUIZ TOMORROW APRIL 1st!

The quiz is on the last 14 words you "received" (ha!) from The Giver

There is going to be a spelling section, a matching section and a sentence section. It is in the same format as the previous quiz.
Pretty please... I beg you... study for this one. The last quiz was an epic disaster for some of you and I do not want a repeat performance of that. You can succeed - IF YOU STUDY
And if you somehow lost all of your words... they are the following: haphazard, solace, fugitive, ominous, luminous, perils, carnage, fretful, contorted, haste, wary, lethargy, solitude and augmented.

3/30 Wednesday's Notes

Hello everyone!

Today we read chapters 18-mid 20, and learned (finally!) was "release" was.

We also discussed a major theme of the book.

Loss of Innocence

Found in almost every "coming of age story" ( a story where a character grows up)

When a child realizes that the world is flawed and not perfect. By shattering their previous opinions on the world, they are forced to see the world through more grown-up, mature eyes. 

*Example: Jonas finds out that his father is, in fact, murdering the newchildren, instead of "releasing" them to "Elsewhere" as he had previously thought. 

 

We also found out that the previous receiver of memory was named Rosemary, and she had chosen to have herself "released" after experiencing feelings of loss, depression and loneliness. We are not sure if she knew being released meant dying, or if she accidentally committed suicide. 

IMPORTANT UPCOMING ASSIGNMENT DATES: 

Friday April 1st: Giver Vocab and Spelling Quiz

Friday April 8th: Giver packet due

Friday April 8th: Giver Final Test

3/28 Monday's Notes and Homework

Hello Everyone!
Today in class we "received" (get it? Giver reference!) the rest of the vocab words for The Giver. The words are the following:

Giver Vocab/Spelling Part 2

8. luminous (adj) lighted up, illuminated

9. solace (noun) something that gives comfort

10. fugitive (noun)  a person who is fleeing

11. augmented (adj) made to be larger, changed

12. haphazard (adj) lacking order or planning, random

13. perils (noun) dangers, risks

14. lethargy (noun) the state of being lazy, unenergetic

We also went over the literary tool of symbolism.

Symbolism

When the author uses objects to represent a larger idea or meaning.

example: A student gives a teacher an apple as a gift.

              - the apple is a symbol for knowledge. It represents knowledge.

Many times, these symbols are used throughout the history of literature. In many books and stories, apples represent knowledge. The apple became a symbol of knowledge, because of an old, famous story, where this idea stemmed from.

*Adam and Eve, the garden of eden. They ate off of the "tree of knowledge," even though they were told not to, and because of that, their utopia was destroyed. They became aware. They gained knowledge. And because of that, they realized life was not perfect. 

The apple gave them knowledge, hence apples represent knowledge in literature. 

In The Giver, the first object that changes for Jonas is the apple. It was a deliberate choice of the author to have an apple be the first thing Jonas notice change, because that apple is giving him the knowledge that something is strange. 

*Colors can also be used as symbols. Just as green represents nature, black represents evil, or white represents purity, red is used to represent love and hate. Love and hate are two of the strongest emotions people experience in their lives. Red is the first color Jonas sees, becaue they are the strongest emotions people can feel.

HOMEWORK TONIGHT!

Make flashcards for the final 7 words. Vocab/spelling quiz on Friday!

3/25 Friday's Notes and Homework

Hello Everyone!
        Today we got some more new vocabulary words. There is going to be a vocab/spelling quiz on Friday, April 1st for these. The results for this Thursday's quiz were a  very mixed bag. It's clear that some of you studied (and therefore did great!) while others... didn't do so well. The key to this is studying, and I can't stress this enough. You need to make those flashcards, and use them. At home, you should practice using the words in sentences as well. This vocabulary is not uncommon, and you will see it more and more frequently as you continue your schooling. It's important to boost up your vocabulary skills so that you will feel more at ease with your writing, AND your testing. Impress Albany! Show them that you ARE intelligent and can use varied vocabulary!

With that being said...
Vocabulary for Part 2 of The Giver.

1. haste:

noun- swiftness of motion; speed

2. ominous:

adj- evil or harmful

3. fretful: 

adj- to feel worry or irritation

 4. contorted:

adj- twisted in a violent manner

5. carnage:

noun- massacre, loss of life in great numbers

 6. solitude:

noun- the state of living alone; seclusion

7. wary:

adj- watchful; being on one's guard against danger.

Today in class, we discussed Chapters 11-13.
In chapter 11 we learn that Jonas will receive memories from the past. These memories will be transmitted to him through the Giver (aka, the old man with the pale eyes). Jonas learns what color is (the first color he learns is red, and he realizes that the apple, the faces in the audience, and Fiona's hair are all red). We learned that the society has no color, due to Sameness. Scientists took all the color out of the society so that no person would be different in color from another. Jonas is upset about this news.

We also discussed Lois Lowry's use of descriptive language throughout this novel.

Descriptive Language -
 using varied, descriptive vocabulary to paint a picture for the readers mind. Many times the writer will use the 5 senses to help describe a scene (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell), as well as adjectives for support.
*In class we practiced writing using descriptive language to describe a scene.
Example:
I heard the loud swish of the water, rushing back and forth across the sandy, smooth, glistening surface. I tasted the salt in the air, and felt the warm sun gently cover my skin.  I took a deep breath in, and could smell how pure and clean the air was.

HOMEWORK: Over the weekend, make flash cards for the 7 new vocabulary words.
Have a great weekend!

And side-note: To the cast of Suessical,
                                You were absolutely amazing! I saw the show on Thursday and I am so proud of all of you. Your efforts have paid off, and you have put together such a beautiful show. You're all stars!
- Ms. C

3/23 Wednesday's Notes and Homework

Hi Everyone! I'm sorry I've been neglectful this week with my updates. I've been grading those research papers of yours and I must say, that takes quite some time.

Reading Schedule:
Monday: Chapter 7/ Tuesday: Chapter 8/ Wednesday: 9&10

In Regards to the Research Papers
* If you are unhappy with your grade:
1. Hand in any of the missing parts of your paper. The yellow packet, bibliography, in-text citations, typing your paper and the 15 research questions were all a part of your grade. Hand those in if you have them and if they are done correctly, you can receive up to half credit.

2. Add or alter the paper with the suggestions I made. You may receive up to half the points you lost per section.

Vocabulary/Spelling Quiz Tomorrow!!! Thursday March 24th. This covers the vocabulary from chapters 1-7 of The Giver.

And just in case you missed the homework from the past two days...

Monday Night's Homework: On Monday, you received a job based on the 5 activities you wrote that you like to do after school. Just like in Jonas's society, you did not have a choice about what job you were given. In a 6-8 sentence paragraph, write a response to the job you were given. Did you like the job you received? Was it a fair assessment of the activities you participate in? Would you apply for release?

Tuesday: No homework....except study because...

Vocabulary/Spelling Quiz Tomorrow!!! Thursday March 24th. This covers the vocabulary from chapters 1-7 of The Giver.



Study! I'm sure you'll all do great on this quiz if you do!

- Ms. C

3/17 Thursday's Notes and Homework!

Happy St. Patrick's Day My Little Leprechauns!

Today in class we received the remainder of our vocabulary/spelling words for part 1 of The Giver. If you did not have your note cards/flashcards in school today, please have them for me to see for Monday.

The next 9 words are...

Vocabulary The Giver Part 1 continued:

aptitude  a natural talent or ability

avert  to prevent something from occurring

crescendo  a gradual increase in volume or intensity

benign  having a kind or gentle disposition

anguish extreme anxiety or emotional torment

attribute a quality, property or characteristic of somebody or something

unanimous a view shared by everyone in agreement

fleeting passing or disappearing quickly

integrity the quality of having high morals or standards

For homework tonight, you must make flashcards/note cards for these words. And as usual, if you do not have index cards at home, make them with lined paper/computer paper/colored paper... whatever paper you can find! We do this so that you can use these as study tools. Re-writing the words reinforces their meanings into your mind, and come time for the test can be used as valuable study tools, so you can practice reciting the meanings of the words.

Today in The Giver, we read chapter 5 and learned about "the Stirrings"

*The Stirrings are feelings a person feels when they are hitting puberty. For Jonas, it was the feeling of "wanting" (desire).

* We learn that in this society, those feelings are controlled by pills that every person takes, starting from the age of puberty, to the age in which they get put into the House of the Old.

* The Committee of Elders has as a rule that each person must report their feelings of Stirrings, and that once that feeling is felt, everyone must take a pill that makes those feelings go away. 

* The control your most basic human instincts/feelings

Homework: Note cards/flash cards for the rest of the vocabulary words. Vocabulary quiz Thursday.

See you all Monday! Be excellent for the substitute! 

3/16 Wednesday's Notes and Homework

Hello Everyone!
Today in class we continued reading The Giver, chapter 4. In this chapter, we learned more about the utopia's "release" system, and from there continued our foreshadowing t-charts by making predictions.

We also received our first set of vocabulary/spelling words for our unit on The Giver.

Vocabulary for chapters 1- 7 (the #'s in parenthesis are page numbers)

1.wheedle (6) to persuade someone to do something by using flattery or compliments

2. disposition  (8) somebody's mood or temperament
3. bewilderment confusion
 
4. throng (40) a large crowd of people or objects

5. chastise (44) to punish or scold

6. transgressions  (44) crimes or acts that violate laws

7. infringed  (44)  failure to obey a law or an agreement

8. gravitate   (45) to move gradually toward something

9. buoyancy  (46)  cheerfulness or optimism

10. meticulously (47) carefully, with close detail

11. profound (49) very great or strong understanding

Tomorrow you will receive the rest of the vocabulary/spelling words, and you will have a vocab/spelling quiz next week. Tentative date: Thursday

Tonight's Homework: Make vocabulary flashcards for these words. *IF you do not have notecards, make them using computer paper or lined paper and cut them into sqaures. Become an every day Martha Stewart and get creative!

3/15 Tuesday's Notes and Homework

Hello Ladies and Gents!
 I hope you all enjoyed class today. I know I did. I like it when we can change things up again, but remember I cannot make that possible unless all of you are being good little girls and boys and as I say "staying on the same track" as me. Staying focused is key!

Moving on: For those of you who missed today's class, we read The Giver chapter 3. I hope you all realize that when you are absent, it is your responsibility to get a copy of the book (may it be from me, or from your local library) and read the chapter that you missed. This is not the kind of book that you can fall behind in. There is so much that goes on in each chapter, so it's vital that you keep up with the reading.

Aside from reading (or rather acting) we began to discuss foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is a literary element that you will definitely see on your ELA exam.

Foreshadowing: clues or hints that the author uses to suggest what may happen in the literature later on. (One example of this would be in the book I Am Regina. She says multiple times throughout the book, "bad things come in 3's," and in the end, 3 bad things occurred).

For The Giver, the students made a t-chart with "Clues" written on one side of the chart and "Predictions" written on the other. We focused on the two main clues that the author focused on for this chapter (the pale eyes, and the apple). You should all make predictions as to what you think these things mean. Keep track of your predictions as we read.

There is no homework for tonight. See you all tomorrow!
- Ms. C

Monday's Notes and Homework

Hello Everyone,

On Thursday we began reading Lois Lowry's book, The Giver. In chapter one we learned that this "utopian" society is very different from our own. Together as a class we compiled a list of things that are different from our society.

Jonas's Society
1. They ride bicycles, and cars are uncommon.
2. They are assigned a family unit. Spouses (husbands and wives) are assigned to you, and in each family. there is exactly 1 boy and 1 girl. No more than 4 people per family.
3. They are afraid of planes and the planes are not allowed to fly over "the community"
4. Word choice is very strict. You are not allowed to lie, therefore you must choose your words wisely.
5. Everyone wears the same tunics (shirts/clothes).
6. At dinner every night, the family must partake in the "feelings ritual," where by law you must share your feelings with your family (and remember, you cannot lie).
7. The babies in the community are cared for by people called "Nurturers." Jonas's father is a nurturer.
8. If you do something bad (3 times), are elderly, or are a baby that is not growing properly, you may be "released" from the community.

Today in class:
We read chapter 2, where we learn about the Ceremony of Twelve.

We learned that the Ceremony of Twelve is a rite of passage that every member of the community partakes in, when they reach the December where they turn twelve years old. In that ceremony, your job/career is assigned to you. This is a rite of passage for the children.

Rite of passage: a ritual that marks a person's progress from one status to another.

Homework:
Tonight for homework, you must list the different ceremonies/rites of passage that Jonas's society has. In chapter 2 we learned about what happens for four different age groups.
You must also make a list of the different rites of passage we celebrate in our society (modern day America), for example: You turn 16, you have a sweet 16.

These two lists are due tomorrow. And I want you to think after you've made your lists, which society forces you to grow up faster? In which society do you have more responsibility? And do you think this adds to, or ruins the idea of utopia for these people?

See you all tomorrow, and remember if you have not yet handed in your courage research paper, tomorrow is the last day I will be accepting them. 
- Ms. C

3/10 Thursday's Notes

Your papers are due tomorrow!

Hooray!

                     I can't wait to see what you all have done. If you put forward your best effort, I'm sure a good grade is on your horizon.  

With your paper, you must include: 

1. 15 research questions

2. Your yellow packet (filled out/completed... don't worry about the 3 guiding questions. Those are your 15 research questions. You do not need to re-write them in the yellow packet. 

3.  S.E.A.L.T. Introductory paragraph. (Statement/Example/Another Example/Linking Statement/Thesis)

 

4. Body 1 (background information) Body 2 (What is the courageous act? Why is it courageous?)

5. In-text citations (You MUST cite any information you use that you got from an outside source. If you paraphrase the info, you must cite it. If you use a direct quote, you must cite it).

6. Conclusion paragraph (re-state your thesis in different words, re-state your main points of your body paragraphs briefly, end on a sentence that will make the reader think).

7. Times New Roman, Font size 12, Double spaced (to double space, go to format- paragraph - line spacing - double)

8. Bibliography (You can do this by going to http://www.pmschools.org/schools/oregon/index.htm, clicking on the library media link, scroll down, and on the left hand size there is a section called the Citation Machines for your Bibliography. Once there you enter your source information that you have in your yellow packet, and after the citation is created, cut and paste it in a word doc).

9. Staple it all together

You will have until 2:50PM tomorrow to get the paper to me, before it is considered late.

I'm so excited to read your work!

E-mail me if you have any questions. NcowleyPmschools@gmail.com

- Ms. C

3/8 Tuesday's Notes and Homework

Hello Everyone!

Today periods 4-8 started our novel unit (sorry period 1. We will catch you up tomorrow!). We learned about utopian societies, and what it takes to make a utopian society.

What is a utopia?
A perfect place. Paradise.

We discussed that we are not living in a utopian society. The reasons that make it so that we are not living in paradise would be:
1. pollution/liter
2. crimes/murder/drugs
3. discrimination/racism/religious conflicts/judging others by their appearance
4. desire for land (like WW2 or Revolutionary War)
5. money/greed/bad economy

We then listened to John Lennon's song "Imagine" and focused on these three stanzas:
1.
Imagine there’s no Heaven

It’s easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us only sky

Imagine all the people

Living for today

( John Lennon is stating that for his utopia there would be no religion. People would live for today)

2.

Imagine there’s no countries

It isn’t hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion too

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace

( John Lennon is stating that for his utopia there would be no countries. We would all be the United People of Earth)

 3.

Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world

( John Lennon is stating that for his utopia there would be no possessions. We would all share everything)

Homework for periods 4-8
Tonight for homework, you must write 1 paragraph either agreeing or disagreeing with one of Lennon's ideals for what makes a utopian society. Comment on no religion, no countries, or no posessions.

Research papers are due Friday (all classes)

As usual, any questions or concerns please e-mail me at NcowleyPmschools@gmail.com
See you all tomorrow!
- Ms. C

3/7 Monday's Notes

Hello Everyone!

I have some great news for all of you. Your research papers are now due Friday, March 11th!  And because you all have some extra days to work on them, I expect them to be even better than before. :)

In your papers I want to see:

1. The S.E.A.L.T. formula used for your introductory paragraph
2. The background information in the Body 1 paragraph.
3. Body 2 to be talking about the courageous act, and why it was courageous.
4. Use of your facts that you found doing research. It doesn't count as a research paper if you don't use any outside information!
5. In-text citations! If you don't, it looks like you've plaigarized! I want to see you paraphrase and use only about 1 direct quote. Paraphrasing is ideal.
6. WHen you hand in your paper, I want you to include your yellow packet, your 15 research questions and a typed out bibliography (we will learn about this Wednesday).

And remember, I want it typed out. Times New Roman Font, size 12, double spaced!

If you have any questions, please e-mail me. Ncowleypmschools@gmail.com
- Ms. Cowley

P.s.- Part 2 of the practice ELA exam is tomorrow, so make sure to be in school! Make sure to report to the same rooms you were in today!

3/4 Thursday and Friday's Notes and Homework

Hi Everyone!
Sorry I wasn't able to update the blog last night. I accidentally spilled an entire glass of water on my laptop and now it doesn't work. Words of Wisdom: Do not have any liquids by your computer, even if you think you are not a clumsy person!

Yesterday we had our research spelling and vocab test. So for those of you who are absent, be ready to take it as soon as you return.

Also, on Monday and Tuesday we will have a practice ELA exam from 8:30-10AM. You all must report to a specific room in order to take the test. Please do not forgot...

Here is where you must report: If you have me for...
Period 1, report to room 220 (My room!)
Period 4, report to room 218
Period 5, report to room 212
Period 7, report to room 216
Period 8, report to room 214

And for students who have...
Tests Read: Room 112B
Extended Time: Library
Directions Read/Directions Explained: Room 126

You all are going to do great on this. Just remember to breathe and stay calm throughout the exam. Read over the directions twice, and the questions twice as well. And make sure to check your work once you've finished the text. Make sure you didn't skip any spots on the scantron!

As for our research papers, I hope that you sent your paper to your home e-mail or to your parents e-mail so that you could work on this over the weekend. Make sure that you are including the in-text citations in your body paragraphs and that you are following the format of the paper:

Intro: SEALT paragraph

Body 1: Background info on person/people/job

Body 2: Courageous act and why it was courageous

Conclusion: Wrap it up! Do not add any new facts to the conclusion, and remind the reader what the important parts of your paper were.

Have a great weekend, and if you have any questions or concerns please contact me at NcowleyPmschools@gmail.com... at least I didn't spill water on my phone and destroy that as well, so I can still receive and respond to e-mail.

- Ms. C

3/2 Wednesday's Notes and Homework

Hello Everyone!

Today in class we discussed in-text citations. We use these citations to tell the reader where we got the information that we use in our essay. We also do this to protect ourselves from plagarizing. Plagarizing is when you do not give credit to the source you originally got the information from, and in doing that you claim that you are the person who came up with the information.

IF YOU WERE ABSENT TODAY OR LOST YOUR IN-TEXT CITATION PAPER:

Please e-mail me so I can send you the In-Text Citation paper that we read through today in class. You will need this in order to know how to properly cite your sources in your paper! My e-mail is NcowleyPmschools@gmail.com.

And do not forget...

Research Vocab/Spelling Quiz Tomorrow, Thursday March 3rd!

This quiz will include all 19 research words.

If you do not have the words, please refer to the blog posts from February 8th, and 9th

By the way, great work today! Make sure to study!

- Ms. C

2/28 Monday's Notes and Homework

Welcome Back Everyone!

Today in class, we began writing our introductory paragraphs for our research papers.
DO NOT FORGET that our paper is proving that the person/people/job we are writing about shows courage.

If you are having trouble writing your intro, one method you could use would be S.E.A.L.T (this is the upside down triangle I have shown you a couple of times)

You could begin your essay:
S = Statement (this is a broad statement where you could introduce the idea of courage to your reader)
E = Example (you explain your broad statement using an example)
A = Another Example (show a different example than the one your previously used)
L = Linking Statement (this is the bridge between the broad idea, and the thesis. You would use transition words/statements here to redirect your essay towards your thesis)
T = Thesis (the most important sentence in your essay! This is where you put the Subject + Opinion)

Here is an example of the S.E.A.L.T paragraph

" (S) There are many different ways in which a person can show courage throughout their life. (E) They could show courage and bravery by running into a burning building like a fireman. (A) Or they could be daring and fearless enough to jump out of a plane like a skydiver. (L) However, no other form of courage is more impressive than standing up for what you believe in, regardless of what the rest of society believes. That is why Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most courageous men in history. (T) Martin Luther Kind Jr. was courageous because he defied society's unjust laws, and risked his life to stand up for what he believed in.

We will go over this more tomorrow.

Homework: March 3rd, Spelling and Vocab quiz on the research vocab words.
                   March 7th Essays due.
                   All student's who did not receive a 65 or higher on their in class essay's, must have them signed by a parent or guardian by Wednesday March 2nd.

If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at NcowleyPmschools@gmail.com

- Ms. C

2/17 Friday's Message Pre-Vacation!

Have a great February break everyone!

Today was our last day in the computer lab to do our research, so if you feel as though you don't have enough research compiled (meaning, you did not have 10 facts written down from at least 3 different sources) I would suggest spending a little time during break to catch up.

The Must Have List for Ms. Cowley's Research Paper Assignment
1. At least 3 sources from print or other media
                      - at least one must be a book
                      - at least one must be from the Internet
                      - if you have an interview with someone, that would be a 4th additional source
                      - it's a-OK if you have more than 3 sources

2. You must keep tract of what sources you get your facts from! Remember in the packet it states "source___ fact__________" Once you've written down your fact, you MUST identify which source you got that information from.

3. You must use at least 10 facts in your paper from your 3 sources.

4. The paper must have a focus on courage! Don't forget that the purpose of writing your paper is to prove that your topic person/job is courageous!

5. Do not lose any of the papers you've been writing your information on. When I collect the papers finally, you must include with it your 15 guiding questions, and your yellow packet!

If you do not have a computer at home and you want to continue doing research over break, head on over to your local library and sign up for a card if you do not already have one! At the library, not only do they have a ton of fabulous books that could help you with your research, but they also have computers that print there as well! I love love love my local library. Get acquainted with yours!

Additional Announcements:

Tentative Vocab/Spelling Quiz date: Thursday, March 3rd(The words are located on the blog posts dated 2/8 and 2/9)

Tentative Research Paper due date: Tuesday, March 8th

Have a fantastic February vacation! See you all in a week! :)
- Ms. C

2/17 Thursday's Notes

Hello Everyone!

Hope you enjoyed the first day in the computer labs (7th period... I'm sorry about the Dells).

Remember that when you are writing down your source information, you have the title (the name of the article), the URL (the address : http://www.ncowleypmschools.blogspot.com/, ect.) and the date (usually a year). These are the 3 sure things that will be available at every website. The author is going to be a little more difficult, as is the publisher and this will require a little extra searching. I will help you find that information in class if you are having trouble.

It's absolutely a-ok if you want to go home and search around the internet for your courage paper. Just make sure that you put the source information in the yellow packet you have, and identify which facts you took from that source. The more information you have the better!

And for those of you who took the opportunity to re-hand in your Independent Reading Packets, thank you! I am always impressed by those who take the initiative to do better and strive for the best grades possible!

Let's make tomorrow an even more productive day, so that we go into vacation knowing we put in our best effort.
- Ms. Cowley

2/15 Tuesday's Notes and Homework

Hello Everyone!

Today was our last day in the library to do research. Luckily for you, the Mrs. Carr was kind enough to lend us a book cart, full of many of the books you all were using for your research. You will be able to check through that cart and the books avilable and finish up finding your facts from those sources, but you cannot take those books home with you!

If you feel that you don't have enough material from a book/paper source (and I mean at least 2!) then you better get yourself to your local public library. If you do not have a library card, you can still go and do research. You just can't check any items out. The librarians at your local library will be able to help you find books on your topic. TRUST ME! You have a full day off tomorrow, and a full week off next week. I'd use that time wisely, and set aside at least a half hour to go to your local library. Plus, it's a great place that we're lucky to have! Use it!

Thursday we will be in the computer room, beginning our internet research. Make sure you bring your yellow packet and your 15 guiding questions with you to class.

Homework - Due Thursday: If you got a 65% or lower on your independent reading packet, you MUST get it signed by your parents. Any grade - If you do corrections for the parts where you lost points, you can gain back half credit for all of those points! I will not accept corrections for papers with grades lower than 65% unless it is signed. If you did not hand in your independent reading packet, Thursday is the FINAL DAY to hand it in and you will only receive half credit.

If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at NcowleyPMschools@gmail.com. I look forward to meeting many of your parents tomorrow! Have a great day off and see you Thursday!
- Ms. Cowley

2/14 Monday's Notes and Homework

Happy Valentines Day!



Hope you're all having a wonderful and lovely Valentines Day kiddies!

Today in class we started doing research for our research papers. We received "Research & Note Taking Steps" packets, and began looking through library books to find information we could add to our research papers.

When you find a book that will help you write your research paper, you need to properly cite it, or else you could be in danger of plagiarising. When you find your book or article, you must tell me

- the author

- the title

- the publishers information (found on the title page)

- the date (you could find this on the copyright page. There will be the "c" with the circle around it and a date next to it)

- vol = volume (most books are not a part of a volume, but it will specifically say volume if it's part of one)

- pp = total page numbers in the book

- URL (this is for websites)

When you find a fact you want to use, make sure to specify what source you are pulling that quote from. You must specifically state what source that fact is from.

You only have one more day in the library to do research, so make sure that you are focused when you come to class, and make sure you have your research packet with you EVERYDAY!

See you all in class tomorrow!

- Ms. Cowley



2/10 Thursday's Notes and Homework

Hi Everyone!

Today in class we discussed the format of our research papers, and we also started compiling questions that we want answered in our papers.

Here is the format you must follow for your research paper

Intro

- Explain what courage is/ define courage
- Thesis statement (sentence that tells the reader what your paper is about. Subject + Opinion = Thesis)

Body 1

- Introduce background information about your person/persons/group

*We do this so that we can show the person's journey. Remember the example of Oprah. She was so courageous because she pulled herself out of a childhood full of poverty and abuse and worked hard to become massively successful! If you don't have a person you are researching, show when the group was established, why they were formed, ect.

Body 2

- What was the courageous act
- Why was it courageous

*You may have multiple body paragraphs with this same format, because maybe you think that your subject does numerous courageous things.

Conclusion

- Wrap up your essay!
- Restate your main points quickly to remind the reader of what was important

Formulating Questions for Your Paper
We started to make lists of questions that we will answer with the research we find at the library. These questions must be answered in your research paper.

For homework: Make a list of 15 (interesting) questions that you would like answered in your paper. Remember, the deeper more interesting the questions, the more interesting your paper will be!

*Example: One of your classmates who is writing about U.S. Marines asked
Q: What is the percentage of marines that come home from touring overseas that suffer from PMSD (post tramatic stress disorder)?

I won't see you all tomorrow, but I hope you are all great for the sub! Be good and have a great weekend!
- Ms. C

2/9 Wednesday's Notes and Homework

Happy Middle of the Week!

Today in class we discussed what a thesis statement is, and why it is important. But before we get into that, we received nine more fabulous vocabulary words. They are the following:

Research Vocabulary Words

11. web address: Uniform Resource Locator; an address that

specifies (shows and tells) the location of a file on the

internet

12. web site: a set of interconnected web pages, usually including

a homepage that is developed and maintained by a

person, group or organization

13. reliable: capable of being relied on dependable, trustworthy

14. search engine: a computer program that searches documents,

                           especially on the World Wide Web, for a specified

   word or words and provides a list of documents in which they are found

15. citation or an article: includes author(s), article title, source

                                        of journal title, volume, pages, date

16. Internet source: Virtual Reference Collection, any source

found on the internet

17. print source: periodicals (encyclopedia, journals, magazines,

books, newspapers, ect.)

18. book citation: includes: author(s), title, publisher, date

19. Internet citation: generally includes: title of webpage, author,

                                URL, and date retrieved

For homework tonight, you must make flash cards/ notecards for these words. I want the word on one side of the card, and the definition on the other. And fear not those of you who can't find any flash cards in your house! You can make your own out of cut up paper.


Today in class we went over thesis statements.

Thesis Statements

 

Subject + Opinion = Thesis

1.      A thesis tells the reader what the essay is about.

2.      Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.

3.      The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.

In other words, the thesis statement is the boss. Everything in your paper has to be in line with the thesis. You have to be able to connect everything you say in your paper to the thesis.

If you have any questions or concerns please e-mail me at NcowleyPMschools@gmail.com

Hope you all have a great day!

- Ms. Cowley

2/8 Tuesday's Notes and Homework

Hello Guys and Dolls!

Today in class we continued learning about our research papers. We started by writing down the 10 Research Vocabulary words. They are the following (if you do not have these in your notebook, I suggest you copy these down!)

Research Vocabulary Words

1. abstract: a short summary of an article or book

2. summary: expressing or covering the main points

    briefly

3. paraphrase: a restatement or rewording of a text, to

give meaning in different words

4. article: a contribution, by one or more authors,

published in a periodical

5. research: the collecting of information about a subject

6. citation: complete information about a specific item;

                book, article or other format, which enables you

to identify and locate it

7. bibliography: an alphabetical list of books or articles

you have used for research, a group of citations

8. plagiarism: using the ideas or writing of another author and

                using them as your own

9. source: anything or place from which something is obtained

10. cite: to list the important information needed to find the full

                text of a source; this gives credit to the authors of

                articles, books, web sites, or other types of materials

Credible and Non-credible Sources

We then went over what makes a source credible. Credible sources were things like newspapers, news journals, diaries, interviews, published factual books, fact based magazines. Things that were not credible were things like gossip magazines, wikipedia, and any websites where the person writing it did not have a credible background on the subject. We will learn more about this on Thursday.

Paraphrasing

We also discussed how to use the information we find from our sources to help support our arguments. We learned that it's ok to use direct quotes from a source, as long as you give them the proper credit in your paper for that quote.

We also discussed how you can paraphrase these quotes, by making them your own. You still need to cite them as the place where you got the information in your bibliography, however you do not need to state right then and there in the paper ("As stated in July 18th New York Post, Julie Blahblah said...")

Paraphrasing is taking a direct quote and making it your own. For example:

Direct quote: "New York City police officers have incredibly difficult and dangerous jobs considering they deal with crimes and criminals on a daily basis."

Paraphrased quote: Officers of the NYPD deal with many dangers, due to their frequent interactions with criminals.

HOMEWORK!

Tonight for homework you need to make flash cards/notecards for the 10 Research Vocabulary words given to you today. On one side of the card, write the word, and on the other write the definition.

See you all tomorrow!

- Ms. C