12/9/14

Lit 7 - Due Wednesday, 12/10 - Proofreading, page 75, top and bottom.
English - Wednesday, 12/10 - test on classifying sentences according to use: declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory.

12/8/14

Lit 8 - Due Tuesday, 12/9 - Proofreading handout, page 119 top and bottom.
Lit 6 - Due Tuesday, 12/9 - Proofreading handout, page 31 top and bottom.

12/3/14

Lit 6 - Reminder - Thursday, 12/11 - nonfiction vocab test - biography - humorous essay.

English 7 - Due Thursday, 12/4 - Handout exercise 106.

12/1/14

English 8 - Tuesday, 12/2, - Test on classifying sentences according to use: declarative, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory.

11/20/14

English 8 - Tuesday, 11/25, Pronoun unit test. Folders are due at time of test.

11/19/14

Lit 8 - Monday, 11/24, - Essay test on Poe. Students should study their notes for the test.
English 7 - Tuesday, 11/25 - Pronoun unit test. Folders will be collected at time of test.

11/18/14

Literature 7 - Due Wednesday, 11/19 in English class - Proofreading page 71, top and bottom.

11/17/14

Lit 8 - Due Tuesday, 11/18 - Proofreading handout, page 115.
Short story vocab test tomorrow - irony - caricature.

Lit 6 -  Due Tuesday, 11/18 - proofreading handout, page 27.

11/14/14

English 7 - Due Tuesday, 11/18 - Handout Exercise 44old.

11/13/14

Literature 6 - Thursday, December 11 - Nonfiction vocab test - Biography - humorous essay.

Biography: The story of someone’s life told by someone else. The subject is known and of interest to other people. Tells you the facts of the subject’s life and explains what these facts mean.

Narrative essay: A short nonfiction composition that tells a story that may focus on a character other than the writer.

Descriptive essay: A short nonfiction composition that uses vivid sensory details to describe people or places.

Personal essay: A short nonfiction composition that gives an informal account of an episode from a person’s own life.

Reflective essay: A short nonfiction composition that presents a writer’s thought about ideas or experiences.

Persuasive essay: A short nonfiction composition where a series of arguments are presented to convince readers to believe or act in a certain way.

Humorous essay: A short nonfiction composition meant to amuse readers. Writers sometimes create humor by contrasting the reality of the situation with the character’s mistaken views of what is happening.

11/12/14

English 7 - Due Thursday, 11/13 - Handouts - exercises 37 and 43 old.

11/7/14

Lit 6 - Study for nonfiction vocab test on Wednesday, 11/12.
Lit 7 - Wed., 11/12 - Journal check:
10/7 - Hatchet
10/14 - Ideal life
10/21 - Greed/Envy/Jealousy?
10/28 - Lottery
11/7 - Most valuable thing

11/5/14

English 7 - Friday, 11/7, English test on relative pronouns.
English 8 - Monday, 11/10, during literature class - English test on relative pronouns.

11/4/14

Literature 8 - Due Wednesday, 11/5, - journal check.
9/24 - Problems
10/6 - Change the World
10/14 - Real Me
10/16 - Society
10/27 - Help
!0/30 - Eve

Literature 6 - Due Wed, 11/5 - Journal check.
9/24 - History
10/2 - Release (1/2 page)
10/15 - Letter
10/16  - Journal
10/22 - Bedroom (1/2 page)
10/23 - Music

11/3/14

English 8 - Due Tuesday, 11/4 in lit class - Handout exercise 38 old.

10/30/14

Lit 8 - Due Monday, 11/3 - Proofreading page 111, top and bottom.
Lit 7 - Due Tuesday, 11/4 - Proofreading page 67, top and bottom.
Lit 6 - Due Monday, 11/3 - Proofreading page 23, top and bottom.

10/24/14

English 7 - Due Tuesday, 10/28 - Handout exercises 34 and 31 old.

10/17/14

English 7 - Due Tuesday, 10/21, Handout exercise 23.

10/16/14

Literature 8 - Tuesday, November 18 - short story vocab test - irony - caricature.

Irony: Figure of speech in which the actual intent is expressed in words which carry the opposite meaning. Lighter than sarcasm.

Dramatic Irony: A contradiction between what a character thinks and what the audience or reader knows to be true.

Irony of situation: An event occurs that directly contradicts the expectations of the character or the reader.

Allusion: Reference in a work of literature to person, place, or thing in another work such as literature, music, history, painting, or mythology. Adds meaning to the story.

Willing suspension of disbelief: Reader voluntarily agrees to set aside what he knows to be true and accept what is presented as reality in the story.

Alliteration: Repetition of an initial consonant sound in two or more words of a phrase. Consonant is picked to enhance meaning. (Huge, hooting, howling, hissing, horrible, bellow)

Point of view: The way an author chooses to see and tell a story.

First-person narrative: A character tells the story referring to himself as "I" and presenting only what he knows about events.

Inference: Reasonable conclusion one can draw from facts or evidence given.

Caricature: The distortion or exaggeration of the peculiarities in a character’s personality. Often for humorous effect.

10/15/14

Literature 6 - Wednesday, 11/12 - nonfiction vocab test - Genre - autobiography. Students were given the vocab handout yesterday in class. It is also posted on the school web site under the literature link. On the test, students will be given the word only, and they must write out the definition.

Nonfiction Vocabulary

Genre: A group, type, or classification of Literature. (Short Story, Poetry, etc.)

Letter: A written communication from one person to another. In personal letters writer shares information, thoughts, and feelings with one other person.

Journal: A daily account of events and the writer’s thoughts and feelings about those events.

Media accounts: Reports, explanations, opinions, and descriptions written for television, radio, newspapers, and magazines.

Essay: A short piece of nonfiction in which a writer presents a personal view of a topic.

Expository essay: A short, nonfiction piece that explains or gives information about a topic.

Autobiography: The story of a person’s life written by that person. Includes key events of a person’s life and reveals his struggles, values, and ideas.

10/14/14

Literature 6 - Due Wednesday, 10/15 - Proofreading page 21, top and bottom.

10/10/14

English 8 -
Tuesday, 10/14 - test on declension of personal pronouns chart. This is the chart on the front page of the pronoun unit notes that I handed out on 10/9. Students will be given a blank chart, and they must fill in the information.
Tuesday, 10/14 - Handout exercises 19 and 20 due.

10/8/14

English 7 - Tuesday, October 14 - Test on the chart - Declension of personal pronouns. This is the chart on the front page of the pronoun unit notes that I handed out today. Students will be given a blank chart, and they must fill in the information.

10/7/14

Lit 7 - Reminder of the novel vocab test on Thursday, October 16 - climax - symbol.

10/1/14

English 8 - Tuesday, 10/7 - noun unit test. Folders will be due at test time.
English 7 - Tuesday, 10/7 - noun unit test. Folders will be due at test time.

9/30/14

Lit 8 - short story vocab test - 10/7 - oxymoron - surprise ending.
Lit 7 - novel vocab test -10/16 -  climax - symbol.

9/29/14

Literature 7 - Journal check on Tuesday, 9/30.
Literature 6 - Monday, 10/6 - spelling test - admonition - carnage.

9/26/14

English 7 - Due Tuesday, 9/30 - English handout 11.
Parents - All 6, 7, and 8 literature and 7 and 8 English interims were handed out today. Please sign them and have your child return them to me. God bless.

9/23/14

English 7 - Test on objective case usus for nouns: IO, DO, OP, App, AO, and CO.

9/22/14

Lit 6 - Monday, 9/29 - Spelling test - torrent - hueless.
English 8 - Tuesday, 9/23 - test on IO, DO. OP, and Apposition in objective case.
Tuesday, 9/23 - Handout exercises 12 old and 16 old, if not finished in class.

9/18/14

English 7 - Due Friday, 9/19 - Handouts - exercises 14 old and 9.

9/18/14

Lit 7 - Thursday, Oct. 16 - novel vocab test - climax - symbol.

9/17/14

Lit 8 Thursday, 9/18 - Journal check. Students should have 5 entries. I went over what the entries should be with the class today.
English 7 - Due Thursday, 9/18 - English handout exercise 6.

9/16/14

Lit 8 - Wednesday, 9/17 - proofreading page 107, top and bottom.
Tuesday, 10/7 - short story vocab test - oxymoron - surprise ending.
English 8 -Due Wed., 9/17 - Handout Exercise 5.
Lit 6 Wednesday, 9/17 - journal check. Students should have 4 entries:
8/27 - "Rules"
9/3 - "Same"
9/11 - "Memory"
9/16 - "Ideal job"
All journal entries should be in the literature composition book and each should be a page long. I went over this with the class today.

9/15/14

Dear Parents,
All books should be covered by now. Please make sure that your child's books are covered.
Lit 6 - Monday, 9/22 - spelling test - indulgently - deftly.
Lit 8 - Short story vocab test tomorrow.
Lit 7 - Novel vocab test tomorrow.

9/9/14

Literature 6 - Monday, Sept. 15 - spelling test - reprieve - transgressions.

9/8/14

English 8 - Thursday, 9/11 - Test on nominative case uses for nouns - subject, subject complement, direct address, and apposition in the nominative case.

9/4/14

****English 7 test on nominative case moved to Tuesday, 9/9****
English 8 - Handout exercise 3 due Monday, 9/8.

9/3/14

Lit 8 - Study for short story vocab test on 9/16. (Protagonist - title)
Lit 7 - Study for novel vocab test on 9/16. (Genre - Dilemma)
English 7 - Study for test on Friday, 9/5, on nominative case uses for nouns - subject, subject complement, direct address, and appositives.
Lit 6 - Study for spelling test on Tuesday, 9/9. (Apprehensive - remorse)

9/2/14

Literature 8: Due Wednesday, 9/3 - Proofreading handout page 103 - top and bottom.
English 8 - Due Wednesday, 9/3 - English handouts, exercises 1 and 2.
Literature 7 - Due Wednesday, 9/3 - Proofreading handout page 61- top and bottom.
Literature 6 - Due Wednesday, 9/3 - Proofreading handout page 17- top and bottom.
Spelling test - Next 12 words on The Giver vocab handout. (Apprehensive - remorse)

8/27/14

Literature 7 - Due Thursday, 8/28 - Proofreading p.59, top and bottom.

8/26/14

English 7 - Due Wed, 8/27 - English handout, Exercise 2old.

Literature 7 - Tuesday, 9/16 - Novel vocab test - genre - dilemma

Literature 8 - Tuesday, 9/16 - Short Story vocab test - Protagonist - title.

8/25/14

Literature 6: Tuesday, September 2, 2014:
Spelling test - 1st 12 words on the Vocabulary list for The Giver, intrigued - distraught. I gave the handout to the students today.

8/21/14

Dear Parents and Students,
I am so looking forward to the start of the new school year on Monday. Enjoy your last few days of summer break. God bless. Mrs. Costanzo

5/20/14

Lit 8 - Wednesday, 5/21, - Journal check.

5/15/14

Lit 6 - Thursday, 5/22 - vocab test on "Folktale."
English 8 - Monday, 5/19 - test on prepositions.

5/13/14

English 8 - Wednesday, 5 /14, Handout exercise 90, due in lit class.
English 7 - Wednesday, 5/14 - adverb unit test/folder.

5/7/14

Lit 6 - Due Thursday, 5/8/14 - Proofreading page 53 top and bottom.

5//14

Lit 6 - Thursday, 5/15 - Vocab test on the bullets for the word "Legend." These were handed out in class today.

4/29/30

Lit 7 - Thursday, 5/15 - drama vocab test, soliloquy - euphemism.

4/28/14

Lit 8 - Tuesday, May 13, poetry vocab test - alliteration - stereotype.

4/10/14

Lit 7 - Due Friday, 4/11 - Proofreading page 85 top and bottom
Eng 7 - Tuesday, 4/15 - Verb unit test.
Lit 6 - Due Monday, 4/14 - proofreading page 49 top and bottom.

4/8/14

Lit 7 - Due Wed,, 4/9 - Proofreading page 83 top and bottom.

4/7/14

Lit 8 - Due Wednesday, 4/9 - Worksheets:
Homophones
Synonyms/Antonyms
Animal Analogies
Which word doesn't belong?
Thursday, 4/10 - Test on Figurative Language

4/3/14

Lit 8 - Due Monday, 4/7 - proofreading p135 top and bottom
Wednesday, 4/16 - poetry vocab test - rhyme - imagery
Lit 7 - Due Friday, 4/4/14 - proofreading p81, top and bottom.

3/31/14

Lit 6 - Due Tuesday, 4/1- Proofreading page47, top and bottom.

3/31/14

Lit 7 - Tuesday. 4/1 - test on figurative language.

Figurative Language

Figurative language is defined as an intentional departure from the normal order, construction, or meaning of words. It is meant to be interpreted imaginatively, not literally.

The following are examples of figurative language devices:

Simile: A comparison of two unlike things using the words “like” or “as.” Example – My love is like the sun.

Metaphor: A direct comparison saying something is something else. Example – My love is the sun.

Onomatopoeia: Words whose sounds suggest their meaning. Examples – buzz, hiss, pop. This is often used in children’s literature to enhance readability and engagement.

Hyperbole: Extreme exaggeration for dramatic effect or humor. Example – This is the best cookie in the universe.

Alliteration: The repetition of an initial consonant sound in two or more words in a phrase that are picked to enhance meaning.  This is also often used in children’s literature to enhance readability and engagement. Example – The bouncing, baby boy beamed with excitement.

Idiom: Language that can’t be interpreted literally. Idioms do not translate into other languages. Example – I’m so hungry that I could eat a horse.

Personification: Giving human qualities or characteristics to inanimate objects.  Personification is not usually used in contemporary realistic fiction. Example – Death walked up to the old man and said, “It is not yet your time.”

3/28/14

English 8 - Tuesday, 4/1 - Verb unit test. Folders are due at test time.

3/25/14

English 8 - Due Wednesday, 3/26 - Handout exercise 61old.

3/21/14

Lit 7 - Tuesday, 4/15 - Drama vocab test - costuming - flash-pot.

Costuming: The way the characters are dressed. Can be used to create mood, illusion, and set the piece in a particular time.

Plot: What happens in the story, may not be sequential. Has to hold the audience’s attention, visually interesting.

Theme: A universal truth about people – the things they do, the way they are, that can be applied to your life. Not a dippy moral.

Infer: A reasonable conclusion one can draw from facts or evidence given.

Aside: A character speaks directly to the audience. Through asides, characters in a play reveal directly to the audience their thoughts or other characters’ thoughts. Usually delivered in confidence pretending that other characters cannot hear.

Nota Bene, N.B.: Note well. Used to call attention to something important.

Flash-pot: A device that creates a burst of fire and smoke that creates a magical effect.

3/20/14

Lit 8 - Due Monday, 3/24 - Proofreading page 131, top and bottom.
Lit 6 - Monday, 3/24 Journal Check.

3/19/14

Lit 8 - Wednesday, 4/2/14 - Poetry vocab test:

Poetry Vocabulary

Connotation: Emotional impact attached to words beyond their literal meaning.

Paraphrase: Putting something into your own words. In poetry, you lose the musical quality and rhyme

Prose: The ordinary form of written language. Everyday speech.

*Personification: Giving human qualities or characteristics to inanimate objects or animals.

Narrative poem: A poem that tells a story in poetic form. Contains plot, setting, characters, etc. Relies on rhythm and rhyme. Organized in stanzas.

Stanzas: Groups of lines that form units in a poem.

 Ballad: A Narrative poem that tells a simple and dramatic story. Intended to be sung or recited. Has strong rhythms and rhymes.

*Juxtaposition: The placing of two images or ideas side by side allowing the reader to make the comparison. Not a direct comparison.

Rhythm: A pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in the lines of a poem. Usually contributes to meaning.

3/14/14

Lit 7 - Tuesday, 3/18 - Journal check. I reviewed the requirements with the class today.

3/14/14

English 7 - Tuesday, 3/18 - Test on tense and voice.

3/11/14

English 8 - English handout , Exercise 46 due Thursday, 3/13.

3/17/14

English 8 - Monday, 3/10 - test on tense and voice.
English 8 Due Tuesday, 3/11 - English handout, exercise 50.

2/28/14

English 7 - Due Tuesday, 3/3 Handout exercises 63old and 64old.

2/27/14

Lit 6 - Monday, 3/3, Journal check. I went over the requirements today in class.

2/25/14

Lit 7 - Due Thursday, 2/27 - Revision of "Where was God?'' essay. Students have their first drafts. They should make the corrections and reprint.
English 8 - Due Wednesday, 2/26 - English handout, exercise 42.

2/24/14

English 8 - Due Tuesday - 2/25 - English handout, exercise 44old.

2/24/14

Lit 6 - Due Tuesday, 2/25 - Proofreading handout, page 41 top and bottom.

2/20/14

Lit 7 - Due Friday, 2/21 - Proofreading, page 79 top and bottom.
Eng 7 - Tuesday, 2/25 - Adjective unit test. Folders due at test time.
Lit 8 Due Monday, 2/24 - Proofreading, page 127 top and bottom.
Lit 6 - Monday, 2/24 nonfiction vocab test.

2/19/14

English 7 - Due Thursday, 2/20 - English handout, exercise 56old.

2/12/14

English 7 - Due Thursday, 2/13 - Handouts - exercises 49 old and 50 old.

2/11/14

Lit 7 - Due Friday, 2/14/14 - essay - Where was God during the Holocaust? This must be typed and double-spaced.

2/11/14

Lit 8 - Wednesday, 2/12 - Journal check. I reviewed the entries today.
Lit 6 - Monday, 2/24 - Nonfiction vocab test - humorous commentary - anecdote.

Humorous commentary: Writing that contains amusing personal observations or opinions to help readers look at life a little less seriously.

Analytical essay: A short nonfiction composition that breaks down a big idea into parts. Helps the reader understand how the parts fit together and what they mean as a whole.

Tribute: A literary expression of gratitude or admiration to honor a special person. Describes a person’s traits.

Facts: Statements that can be proved true with reliable sources. Can be verified.

Opinions: Beliefs or judgments. Not subject to verification.

Character traits: The qualities that make a person, or even an animal, an individual.

Memoir: A biographical piece usually written by a relative or personal friend of the subject. Can be one person’s recollection or based on interviews and anecdotes of several people.

Anecdote: Brief story about an interesting, amusing, or strange event.

2/7/14

English 8 - Tuesday, 2/11 - Adjective unit test. English folders due at test time.

2/6/14

English 7 - Due Friday, 2/7 - Handout exercise 15.

2/6/14

Lit 7 - Journal check Friday, 2/7. I reviewed what should be in the journal with the class today.
Lit 6 - Monday, 2/10 - Test on figurative language. Students have a handout with the information, and we have been working on it for the past 2 days.

Figurative Language

Figurative language is defined as an intentional departure from the normal order, construction, or meaning of words. It is meant to be interpreted imaginatively, not literally.

The following are examples of figurative language devices:

Simile: A comparison of two unlike things using the words “like” or “as.” Example – My love is like the sun.

Metaphor: A direct comparison saying something is something else. Example – My love is the sun.

Onomatopoeia: Words whose sounds suggest their meaning. Examples – buzz, hiss, pop. This is often used in children’s literature to enhance readability and engagement.

Hyperbole: Extreme exaggeration for dramatic effect or humor. Example – This is the best cookie in the universe.

Alliteration: The repetition of an initial consonant sound in two or more words in a phrase that are picked to enhance meaning.  This is also often used in children’s literature to enhance readability and engagement. Example – The bouncing, baby boy beamed with excitement.

Idiom: Language that can’t be interpreted literally. Idioms do not translate into other languages. Example – I’m so hungry that I could eat a horse.

Personification: Giving human qualities or characteristics to inanimate objects.  Personification is not usually used in contemporary realistic fiction. Example – Death walked up to the old man and said, “It is not yet your time.”

2/4/14

English 8 - Due Wednesday, 2/5 - Handout exercise 39old.

2/4/14

Lit 7 - Due Wednesday, 2/5 - proofreading page 75, top and bottom.

1/31/14

English 7 - Tuesday, February 4 - Sentence unit test. English folders are due at test time.

1/30/14

Lit 8 - Due Monday, 2/3 - Proofreading page 123, top and bottom.
Lit 7 - Due Friday, 1/31 - Proofreading page 73, top and bottom.
Lit 6 - Due Monday, 2/3 - Proofreading page 37, top and bottom.

1/28/14

Literature 8 - Due Monday, 2/3 - Final draft of "Catholic" poem. Students must turn in the first draft with the final draft.

1/24/14

English 8 - Handout exercise 11 due Monday, 1/27.
Lit 8 - Monday, 1/27 - short story vocab test
Lit 6 - Monday, 1/27 - nonfiction vocab test

1/10/14

English 8 - Monday, 1/13 - Sentence Unit test. Folders are due at the time of the test. I reviewed with the class what they needed to study.

1/9/14

Lit 8 - Due Monday, 1/13 - proofreading page 121, top and bottom.
Lit 7 - Essay test on A Christmas Carol tomorrow, 1/10. Students should study their notes that I gave them on the play.
Lit 6 - Monday 1/13 - Journal check. I went over the requirements with them today.

1/8/14

Lit 6 - Due Thursday, 1/9 - Proofreading page 33, top and bottom. Remember the nonfiction vocab test on 1/21.
Lit 7 - Due Thursday, 1/9 - Proofreading page 71, top and bottom.
Remember the drama vocab test on 1/21.
Lit 8 - Remember the short story vocab test on 1/21.