End of TFA

Group discussions about the end of the book.
Wrote and turned in detailed summary of what our masks represented.
Notes on quotes and how to use them AND notes on how to add detail/description to rough drafts due on Monday.
Get progress reports signed. Have a completed (rough draft) of research paper on Monday.

Luke Ro.

Making masks for TFA

Today we got progress reports which we need to get signed and bring in on Friday. We took a quiz over all of the stuff we read out of TFA so far, and spent the rest of the class making masks that represent our favorite character from TFA and not tell anyone about it.

-- Derrick

Work day

Today, we clarified the idea of parallelism as opposed to repetition. We then had a long period of work time to be used for drafting our research papers or reading and journaling on Things Fall Apart. We got journals back for Chapters 5-15. Bring in your draft of the research paper with a few body paragraphs done tomorrow. Remember that the test on the whole book is Monday and all other journals are due at that time. Also, the first rough draft of the research paper is due Monday, double-spaced.

-- Judith

Back in B-13 now

4-26-05 Today we learned how to write several different introductions for our research papers. Get notes from someone. We also had drafting time to work on our papers. Study for the quiz tomorrow on chapters 1-19. Journals are going to be collected tomorrow. Get notes on foreshadowing, flashbacks and anecdotes.

Scribe for 4-25-2005
T’auna C.
4th block

Turn in Outline for research paper
Research/draft on topic
Group discussion on chapters 13-15
Turn in Rough draft works cited pageComplete half sheet of paper w/ questions on it.

Today we spent the first 45 mins of class finishing up our research and then Mrs. Gilbert came around and made sure that everyone was doing their note cards right. Then we came down to the media center and Mrs. Gilbert explained how to do outlines and we got a worksheet on it. We discussed the book for 15 mins each and then whatever group wasn’t discussing, we looked up research/outline information. All in all it was a good day. On Monday Mrs. Gilbert is checking note cards for the last time and we should have about 40 or more…wow. This weekend we have to complete our outline, read chapters 13 and 14 and journal on those, and then we have the cards. So have fun you ASE students with all this fun homework! YAY!

Have a good weekend! -Allye-G (formally known as Allegra J!)

More research

We got on the Computers, and went downstairs and went on the computers.
We also got the quiz on the book back and other assignments. Just researching
Our topics. And turn in half sheet on the Research that we did today
Jason 4/21/05

More research

We researched.
We took a quiz on TFA.
We discussed TFA.
We turned in journals on chapters 5-8, the "Searching the Web" Worksheet from yesterday, and a little 1/2 sheet research update for Mrs. Gilbert.

Tomorrow we start in the lab and end up in the library.

Scribing 4/19/05

1. We went to the computer lab and worked on a worksheet under "T:/Gilbert/Searching the Web Worksheet.doc" (In the T drive under the Gilbert folder named "Searching the Web Worksheet").
2. After working on the worksheet, we looked up information for our topics if time was left.
3. Chapter 5-8 journals are due on 4/20/05, if they are done correctly according to Mrs. Gilbert, your first journals grade will be raised.
4. Read most of chapter 7 in the book.

-scribed by Desmond

Literary journaling

Today we learned about proverbs and aphorisms (get notes from a classmate) and then we combed through chapters 1-4 to find examples of proverbs, diction and other literary techniques. We also got a handout about how to journal on literary techniques including diction and we are expected to include such stuff in our journals from now on.

We also got a letter from the junior honors English teacher about a required summer reading assignment -- you can see Mrs. Helmbolt for the book.

Then we spent some time discussing Things Fall Apart and the homework for tonight is to read chapters 5-6 and journal on it.

We also got a research schedule and a checklist of what to do with the research paper. Make sure you pick those up from the handout crate.

Tomorrow we will be in the computer lab tomorrow to start our research.

Beginning TFA

Today we tried to smoosh together all the Powerpoints to make up for the lost time yesterday -- we will try to look at the Powerpoints on Monday. We wrote self-evaluations on our Powerpoints and turned them in.

We also signed out our Things Fall Apart novels, picked up a reading schedule, and reviewed the requirements for the literature-journaling. Students have some reading every night and some journaling on that reading every night. We read chapter 1 aloud and began our journal on it by doing a family tree for Okonkwo -- you probably want to copy that from someone.

We turned in our research proposal letters. If, for some reason, you didn't turn it in to Mrs. Gilbert, you should email it to her ASAP. Visit "About Me" at the website at www.cjgilbert.net to get her email address (posting it on the blog is just asking for spammers to pick it up).

More preparation for Africa novel

Today we (mostly) finished the TFA Webquest -- since a severe weather drill interrupted class, the self-evaluation became homework (if you want EC) or can be done in class tomorrow for regular credit.

Back in class, we talked more about the requirements for the research report, including some basic structure requirements:

• minimum 5 typed pages (doublespaced, 12 pt font)
• minimum 10 sources (at least 3 different types of sources within that 10 as well -- like magazines, books, internet, interviews, etc.)

The homework for tomorrow is to write a research proposal letter to Mrs. Gilbert. In that letter, be sure to explain

1. What topic you want to research and why you are personally interested in it

2. Who will be your audience and what will they get out of it? (e.g. What's your purpose in writing this?)

3. What questions do you think your audience will have on this topic?

4. What types of soures will you use?

5. Do you have any questions about the research process or requirements?

Tomorrow we will be getting our novels and reading schedules.

Starting the TFA Webquest

Wednesday, April 13, 2005
We turned in the citation worksheet at the start of class. Today we spent the first half of the class in the computer lab, starting a PowerPoint presentation of the Ibo people in assigned groups. It’s due tomorrow. We then practiced citations back in the classroom – we read an excerpt from a book and wrote a paragraph that had one quote and one paraphrase in it. And then we did the works cited entry underneath.

Amalia M.

Avoiding plagiarism

Complete the Plagiarism or Not? worksheet (available online at
http://homepages.wmich.edu/~c3gilber/ASE/Research/Plagiarism-or-Not.doc

Get the handout with sample paragraphs and works cited pages from the crate and then get class notes from a classmate.

Homework: Read the first two pages of the MLA Cheatsheet and complete the Citation Worksheet (both are in the crate in class)

Note: Tomorrow and Thursday we will be meeting in the computer lab to practice citation by learning about Igbo culture (and the next novel we'll be reading will be set in Igboland so this will help understanding it too!)

Thinking about research

We journaled for 15 minutes (optional topic: What I didn't do on Spring Break)

We brainstormed all the ways that people use research and brainstormed potential topics for our own research. By the end of the week we will need to choose a research topic for a BIG paper (300 points).

Everyone wrote down the main goal of the research paper:
My research report will be based on the synthesis of multiple, varied sources (all properly cited) and will be for an audience and purpose that interests or excites me.

We picked up a handout (which you can also read online at: http://webster.commnet.edu/mla/plagiarism.shtml)
and the homework is to read it carefully and understand it (or come prepared with questions about anything we don't understand.

We also all signed up for 10-minute conferences with Mrs. Gilbert to discuss our writing. This is a required 15 point assignment.

Tomorrow we will meet in the computer lab to do a worksheet that will test our understanding of what is and is not plagiarism.