Week at a glance October 10 - 14, 2011

Curriculum focus: determines word meanings through knowledge of word structure: Greek and Latin roots and prefixes and suffixes (11.1.3.k3), uses information from the text to make inferences and draw conclusions (11.1.4.K5), identifies persuasive techniques (11.1.4.K14a-f), distinguishes between fact and opinion and recognizes propaganda (11.1.4.K15a), analyzes how the author’s use of irony contributes to his/her purpose (11.1.4.K11c), contextual aspects of setting: how history, society, and culture influence events in the text (11.2.1.K2), and analyzes how the problem or conflict advances the plot of a narrative (11.2.1.K3a).

Root words for this week (root - definition - examples):

1. bene - well - benefit, benediction, benefactor
2. cred - believe - credit, creed, incredible
3. cres, cret, cru - rise or grow - crescendo, increase, concrete
4. luc, lum - light - lucid, lucrative, luminescent, illuminate
5. phil - strong love for - philosophy, philanthropy, bibliophile
6. sopho - wisdom - sophisticated, philosophy, sophomore

End of the 1st quarter on Thursday - Any student having a question about his/her grade should stop by and see me before or after school. Let's get things taken care of before anything becomes official.


This week is a short and interesting week.  On Wednesday, students will be taking either the PSAT (which they would have already signed up and paid for) or the KS Reading Assessment.  To help prepare for both tests, we'll do a quick bit of text structure review on Monday and Tuesday.  We'll take care of our weekly root words quiz and preview the 2nd quarter when we return on Thursday.  Since this week is the end of the 1st quarter, students have Friday off so that teachers may finish grading, post grades, prepare for the second half of the first semester.

• Mon:  New root words; quiz on Friday.  KSRA Persuasive Practice: "Rethinking Race in the Classroom" - begin reading and discussing the article.
• Tues: KSRA Persuasive Practice: "Rethinking Race in the Classroom" - questions due during the class period.  Review for the KS Reading Assessment.
• Wed: District testing day - report to assigned room and take either the PSAT or the KSRA
  Thurs: Root Words quiz. Preview the 2nd Quarter.  Short survey for the Research Essay.
• Fri: No school - End of 1st Quarter - Teacher work day