Monday, December 22, 2014

Homework

Good morning,

Today, we learned about a difficult case in history.  Emmett Till's brutal murder was one of the many sparks of the Civil Rights Movement.

Your homework is to answer the following question in a well developed paragraph:

How does the story of Emmett Till relate to the book To Kill a Mockingbird?  Give at least 3 examples.



I will be collecting To Kill a Mockingbird books tomorrow, please bring your copy.

I'll see you tomorrow,
Ms. Betsy

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Homework

Good morning,

Great work this morning!

Your homework:

In a well developed paragraph, answer the following questions:

Harper Lee’s use of language and grammar reflects the actual values and the beliefs of her characters. Did you find this helpful in forming a picture of them? Was it disturbing or distracting?

See you tomorrow,
Ms. Betsy

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

A glimpse into the earth (volcanoes)

Good morning,

Great job today.  Remember that tomorrow we will not have a classroom so meet me in the library.

Your homework today is to answer the following questions:


  1. What are the differences between the four types of volcanoes? Is there one distinguishing characteristic, or more than one
  2. Describe the hazards that volcanoes present for humans who live near them
  3. How do volcanoes form?
I'll see you tomorrow,
Ms. Betsy

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Homework

Good morning ((or afternoon) or evening),

Read the following excerpt from Chapter 11 of To Kill a Mockingbird and explain how it illustrates the Golden Rule:

"Easy does it, son," Atticus would say.  "She's an old lady and she's ill.  You just hold your head high and be a gentleman.  Whatever she says to you, its your job not to let her make you mad."

Jem would say she must not be very sick, she hollered so.  when the three of us came to her house, Atticus would sweep off his hat, wave gallantly to her and say, "Good evening, Mrs. Dubose! You look like a picture" (133)

How does this illustrate the Golden Rule?

See you tomorrow,
Betsy

Monday, December 15, 2014

Mondays

Good morning,

A couple of reminders for the week:

- I will not be here on Thursday.  I will be at the mainsite and Mr. Dinmahamed will be here.

Your homework for tonight is to answer the following questions:

1. What do you learn about Atticus in this chapter?

2.  Based on what you know about Atticus, how does this chapter relate to Atticus taking a stand for Tom Robinson?


I'll see you tomorrow,
Ms. Betsy

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Graphing Linear Equations

Good morning,

Great job today!  I appreciate a little persistence in the face of adversity.

As a reminder, class begins at 8:00 AM.  You will be expected to finish your classwork every day.  If you miss the lesson, it makes the work much more difficult.  (That's my semi-public service announcement for the day)

Your homework is to to graph the linear equations from this morning.

Here is a reminder of the process:


Thumbs up,
Ms. Betsy

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Chapter 9

Good morning,


Your homework tonight is to read chapter 9 in To Kill a Mockingbird,  and answer the following questions:


Chapter 9

1.How well does Atticus feel he should defend Tom Robinson?

2.Scout and Jem have “mixed feelings” about Christmas? What are these feelings and why?

3.Uncle Jack Finch tells Scout that she is growing out of her pants. What does this mean?

4.When Francis talks to Scout he reveals an unpleasant feature of Aunt Alexandra. What is this?

5.Does Scout learn anything from overhearing Atticus's conversation with Uncle Jack? What does she learn?

6.Read the final sentence of this chapter. Explain in your own words what it means and why it is important to the story.

See you tomorrow,
Ms. Betsy

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Perception!

Good morning,

What a lovely rainy day!  Thank you for all of your hard work this morning.

Your homework tonight:

Scout's perception of Boo has changed through the first half of the story.  Write a well developed paragraph about how it's changed from chapter 1 through chapter 8.  Explain some of the reasons for this change and use direct evidence from the text.

See you tomorrow,
Ms. Betsy

Monday, December 8, 2014

There's no better time to do homework than on a cold Monday afternoon...

Hello,

Great work today.  Sometimes we need to read a text more than once to truly understand what the author is saying.  Your homework for tonight is to revisit the poem "Those Winter Sundays" and compare it to chapter 6 of To Kill a Mockingbird.  Use the table below to structure your answers.


“Those Winter Sundays”
Chapter 6
How does this text relate to the Golden Rule?







How is this text structured?








How does the structure help create the meaning?









I'll see you tomorrow,
Ms Betsy

Friday, December 5, 2014

To Kill a Mockingbird

Good morning,

Great job today.  Your homework for the weekend is to read chapter 6.  Use the following questions as a guide to help you understand the chapter.

1. Why does Dill and Jem want to go for a walk?

2.  Why do the kids wait until nighttime before peeking into Boo's window?

3.  What does Jem keep calling Scout that bothers her so much and starts to become a bad word to her?

4. What happens after Dill's 2nd attempt to look inside the house?

5. What happened to Jem?

6.  What did the children do after?

7.  What does Nathan Radley call the intruders in his garden?


Have a great weekend,
Ms Betsy

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-"

Good morning,

Thank you for your hard work today.  Your homework for tonight is to answer the following questions:

1. What do you think of Miss Caroline Fisher as a teacher? List qualities which would make her good or not so good at her job.

2. Who is Calpurnia? What is her place in the Finch household?

3.  What is Walter Cunningham like? What does his behavior during lunch suggest about his home life? \

4. How does Atticus treat Walter, and what does this show about Atticus’s character? What does it show about Walter?

5. Contrast the difference in the way Jem and Scout treat Walter. What does this show about the difference
between Jem and Scout at this point in the novel?

6. Atticus says that you never really understand a person “until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”. What does this mean? Is it an easy thing for Scout to learn? Why?

7. What do you learn in this chapter about the Ewells?

Remember, I will be at a meeting tomorrow morning.  Be respectful and work hard.

See you tomorrow (afternoon),
Ms. Betsy

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

What is the context??

Good morning,

Based on our reading this morning, use the context clues to finish your vocabulary practice.

Find the following words/phrases in the text and use context clues to figure out the definition.

Malevolent phantom (10)

Stealthy (10)

Alien (11)

See you tomorrow,

Ms Betsy

Monday, December 1, 2014

A new journey!

Good morning,

Welcome back from your long weekend.  I hope your holiday was filled with joy and great company.  Your homework for tonight:

Answer the following questions:

1. How is the setting of To Kill a Mockingbird similar to the setting of the story "Of Mice and Men"?

2.  What is 1st person point of view?


Monday, November 24, 2014

The fall of a great man

Good morning,

Today we read about Ezeudu's funeral.

Your homework:

1. Describe the funeral.

2.  How did Achebe describe Ezeudu's life?

I'll see you tomorrow,
Ms. Betsy

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Foreshadowing

Good morning,

You guys did such a great job working independently and coming up with some very thoughtful answers.

Your homework for tonight is:

Who is Amadi?

How could Amadi be foreshadowing?  (Remember what the story is about)

See you tomorrow,
Ms Betsy

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

When Plates Collide!



Hello,

Great job today.  To those of you latecomers, thank you for attempting the lesson independently.

Your homework for tonight is:

What is the relation between faults and earthquakes?


Thanks,
Ms. Betsy

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

What is a conversion factor???

Good morning,

I'm proud of the work you did this morning.

Your homework for tonight.....

1) 6 feet = ______  yards



2) 96 inches =______  feet




3) 60 inches =______ feet

Keep on being great!

See you tomorrow,
Ms Betsy

Monday, November 17, 2014

Parent Teacher Conferences (Tonight)

Hello,

Thank you for your flexibility this morning.  It isn't always easy to deviate from what you're used to, so calmly changing classroom locations today was commendable.


Your homework is to consider the following passage about two women discussing their children:

"...How old is she now?"

"She is about ten years old."

"I think she will stay.  They usually stay if they do not die before the age of six."

"I pray she stays," said Ekwefi with a heavy sigh.


What are the two women talking about?  What insights into the Igbo culture can you gain from this conversation?

Remember, Parent Teacher conferences are tonight.  I cannot wait to meet your parents, guardians, friends, etc. Conferences will be held at the main site (E. 4th st) from 5:30 to 8:00 tonight.  Tomorrow is a half day.  We will be dismissing early because we are having Parent Teacher conferences from 12:20 to 2:50 at the main site.

See you at Parent Teacher conferences,
Ms. Betsy

Friday, November 14, 2014

Brrrr....

Hello,
Welcome to the beginning of a chilly winter.  Please remember to take care of yourself and get plenty of rest.
Your homework for tonight is:
In what ways are Igbo women strong and powerful? In what ways are they vunerable?

Remember, there are parent-teacher conferences next week.  On Monday, the conferences are from 5:00 - 7:30.  On Tuesday, the conferences are from 1:00 to 3:00.  We don't have a classroom on Monday or Thursday of this upcoming week. 
Thanks,
Betsy

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

The beat goes on...

Hello,
 
Your homework for tonight is:
 
1.  Based on the context of chapter four, what do you think the rules are during "The Week of Peace?"
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 See you tomorrow,
 Ms. Betsy

Monday, November 10, 2014

Title: Meanwhile, in Umuofia..

 
Hello students,
 
Welcome to Monday!  Remember, no school tomorrow.  Parent-teacher conferences are next week on Monday and Tuesday.  Encourage your parents, advocates, guardians and siblings to come.  It will be at the main site on East 4th street.  I look forward to seeing you there and meeting your families.
 
Your homework for tonight...
 
  1. What do the constant references to gender (male/female) say about Okonkwo? About Igbo culture?
 
 

Thank you for your hard work.  You guys rock! Keep it up.
 
See on WEDNESDAY,
 
Ms. Betsy

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Things Fall Apart

Hello,

Great job today!  Sometimes it can be difficult to get into a new story but you all did a great job.

Please remember to take care of yourselves.  The weather is changing and you work in a hospital.  Get enough rest, eat plenty of vegetables and drink lots of water.

Your homework tonight:

1: What was Okonkwo's greatest fear?

2.  What is your greatest fear?




See you tomorrow (Friday!!!!),

Ms Betsy

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Point Slope Form

Hello,
 
Thanks for all of your hard work today.  Remember, we are all equally, exactly, completely worthy of being here in this life. (Carry that thought with you)
 
Your homework for tonight is:
 
1. A straight line equation can also be called a ____________________________________________________
 
2.  Given the point (1,4) and a slope of 2, write the linear equation in point slope form
 
 
 

Bring a backpack, notebook and something to write with every day!
 
See you tomorrow,
Ms. Betsy
 

Monday, November 3, 2014

A new book, a new week, a new start!

Hello,
Remember that we don't have school tomorrow!
Your homework tonight is to answer the following questions:
1. What is imperialism?

2. What is colonialism?

3.  How are imperialism and colonialism related?

See you on Wednesday,
Ms. Betsy

Friday, October 31, 2014

The best laid plans of mice and men/ Often go awry'...

Hello,
Happy Halloween!! Please be safe this weekend. 
As we say goodbye to "Of Mice and Men", consider the poem "To a Mouse" by Robert Burns.  Do you think Robert Burns has an optimistic or pessimestic view on hopes and dreams?  Explain.

See you on Monday,

Ms. Betsy

Thursday, October 30, 2014

A slope can be steep, a slope can be gradual

Good morning,
 
I'm proud of the work you did this morning. 
 
Your homework for tonight is to FIND THE SLOPE:
 

 
I'll see you tomorrow,

Ms Betsy

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Controversy...

Good morning students,
 
As some of you may not have known, "Of Mice and Men" has been one of the most banned books in America.
 
Your homework:
 
Why is the novel so controversial? Do you think the book should be censored or banned?

 
All the best,
Ms. Betsy
   

P.S. Happy Birthday, Kendra

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

What is the importance of reading?

Hello,

An important question was raised the other day:  "Why are we reading these books?"

After reading "Of Mice and Men" and following the journey of two unlikely friends to a tragic end, I pose the same question to you....

What is the importance of reading?  Why do people read?


See you tomorrow.

Monday, October 27, 2014

What makes us strong?


Hello,
 
First, I would like to thank you for the work you did today. 
 
Second, I want to reiterate the idea that being on time is a habit you MUST adopt.  This is for you.  This is practice for the world of work.
 
How to keep a job:
1. Be on time
2. Have a good attitude
3. Don't make excuses
4. Leave your electronic devices in your bag.  Do not constantly look at your phone.  (This is personal advice for your emotional health as well)
 
Your homework for tonight:
 
1.  What does 'survival of the fittest' mean?
 
2.  How does it relate to 'Of Mice and Men'?
 

3. How does it relate to 'An Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian'?
 


See you tomorrow (at 8:00),
Betsy

Friday, October 24, 2014

Dear _________________ ,


Good morning,

Please try and get some rest this weekend!  The weather is changing and lots of people are getting sick with the flu.  Hydrate, eat your veggies and get at least 8 - 9 hours of sleep per night.  

Your Homework:

Write letters to the actress playing the part of Curley’s wife. Explain that the actress playing Curley’s wife in the original Broadway production had problems understanding her character. You are to write a letter to this actress explaining the background to the character and how she should be played.



See you on Monday,
Ms. Betsy

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Sometimes, it IS as easy as it sounds

Slope - intercept form. Y=mx + b

m = slope
b = y-intercept

Whether or not it is a new concept to you, everyone did a great job today.  I appreciate and am grateful for your diligent work!

Your homework, tonight.....

1.  If you haven't read chapter 4, please make sure you are caught up

2.  Find the slope and the Y-intercept of the following equation....

Y = 3X - 5



I'll see you tomorrow at 8:00 am,
Ms Betsy

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Crooks

Hello!

For those of you who braved the rain, I applaud you.  Think of school as your job.  Would you skip your job over a little rain?  (The answer for the gainfully employed, is "of course not")

Your homework for tonight is to read chapter 4 in "Of Mice and Men".  Read through the slides of the powerpoint presentation and answer the questions.  I sent the powerpoint presentation directly to your email.

You can comment on the blog, if questions or concerns arise.

Thanks,
Ms Betsy



Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Text to Text Connections

Hello,

Great job today!

Your homework tonight is to connect the text "Of Mice and Men" to the text "An Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian".

What similarities do you see between the two texts?


Friday, October 17, 2014

Hello,
 
I hope you have a wonderful and restful weekend.  Remember, we don't have the same classroom on Monday or Wednesday of next week so please meet Ms. Gaston or myself in the library to sign in.
 
Now for the fun stuff...Homework!
 
1.  What are the three types of friendship, according to Aristotle?
 
2.  Give two examples of each friendship.


I'll see you on Monday,
Ms. Betsy

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Slope and Literature

Hello,
Great job today!!!
You are doing a better job at being punctual; it is recognized and appreciated.
Your homework tonight is to find the slope of a line passing through the points (1,2) and (3, -2)
Review chapter two in Of Mice and Men and answer the following prompt:  Describe the relationship between Lennie and George
I'll see you tomorrow,
Ms. Betsy

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

What in the world of math is a "slope"?

That's the question for the evening:

What is slope?

What is one equation that can help us find the slope?

Does this line represent a positive or negative slope?



Does this line represent a positive or negative slope?




Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Symbolism: when there's more than meets the eye (or the ear)

Good afternoon,

It was really great to see you this morning.  Thank you for participating and working so hard.

Just a reminder: class starts at 8.

Your homework tonight is to finish reading chapter two and answer the following questions:

1. Briefly describe Curley's wife

2. Who is Slim?

3.  What is Lennie excited about at the end of the chapter?


Thursday, October 9, 2014

Personality, Characterization and Literature


 Hello students,
 
Remember, I won't be here in the tomorrow  morning .  Please check your email for the assignment.  I will be here after my meeting at the main site.
 
Also, remember to start each day thinking about something you are grateful for. It sets the tone for each precious day.
 
Your homework for tonight is:
 
What is George's main personality trait?  Find one example in the book to support your idea.
 



Wednesday, October 8, 2014

'Tis the season for the flu shot....



Hello,

I am so proud of the work you did this morning. Your homework is to watch the following video about graphing coordinate points.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r16I6LB2YbQ



What quadrant is the point (-1,-3) in?



Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Homework

Good Afternoon,


You guys are great! Always remember that.
Please come on time.  You miss A LOT when you walk in late.

Your homework for tonight:

 Describe the difference in how the author portrays Lennie and George.  (Describe each character)







Monday, October 6, 2014

Monday is a fresh start that happens once a week.

Hello students,

Welcome to the fresh start named Monday.  I am proud of the work you do and the professionalism you project.

Your homework for tonight :

1.Recall one reading strategy

2.Define alienation


Friday, October 3, 2014

Friday

Hello,

Hopefully your weekend is restful and peaceful.

Watch the following youtube link.  It's an interview with the author of the book we just finished.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez23fpB7zVc    (You can click the cc button for closed captioning)



In many ways, Junior is engulfed by the emotional realities of his life and his community.  Yet his spare, matter-of-fact language and his keen sense of irony help him to confront and negotiate the hurt, the rage, an the senselessness of Wellpinit's everyday realities.  How does Junior use language to lead readers (that's YOU) to the kind of understanding that they will not necessarily get from other young adult fiction?

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Pangea

Good evening!

Thanks for hanging in there with the new topic today.

Your homework for tonight is.....


What evidence suggests that there was once a supercontinent named Pangea?



Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Homework! Homework! Homework!

Hello wonderful students of class W04,

Your continued flexibility is admirable.  Thank you for having a positive attitude!!!

Your homework tonight is to read pages 179-196 and answer the following question:

When Junior played the basketball game against the reservation team so well that they won, why didn’t he feel pure joy?  Have you ever “won” something that actually made you feel bad, instead of good?
 

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

What's "x" got to do with it?!?!

Good afternoon,

I'm proud of the effort you put forth this morning.  Every one of you.  I know it can be difficult to have your homework done every night.  I encourage you to just make it a habit.  Habits can be formed in two weeks; good and bad.

I also understand that mornings can be rough!  Between commuting, dealing with different strangers on public transportation and trying to squeeze breakfast in, it can be difficult to show up every day with a smile.  However, remember that every one of us had to make some sort of commute, deal with strangers on public transportation and tried to squeeze breakfast in.  (Get to the point, right?)  Be empathetic to each other.  We're all dealing with something.  Be kind. Try hard.

Now, for the fun stuff: HOMEWORK!!!

Solve for X

1.  30 = 10 + 2X

2.  5X + 14 + 2X + 2 = 30


Monday, September 29, 2014

Indian Summer Days/ homework

Hello,

Thank you for your hard work today.  The topic isn't easy and I appreciate your maturity during class.

Tonight please answer the following questions:

1. How is Ted portrayed?  (How does Arnold describe him?)


2.  How does Arnold feel about Ted?  How do you know?

I'll see you tomorrow!  Have a good night and get some rest.

-Ms. Betsy


Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Wednesday's homework

Hello,

Remember, no school tomorrow and Friday.

You did an adequate job paying attention in class today.  Please refresh and refocus over the long weekend and recommit to the learning process.  It is important.

Your homework for the weekend is threefold:


1. Get some rest!!!!!!

2.  Eat some vegetables!!!!!

3. Read pages 159 - 167 and answer the following question:

Discuss death, the grieving process, and Junior’s suicidal thoughts. How are we expected to grieve? Is this different in other cultures? Is there a right way or a wrong way? How does Junior cope?




You can email me over the weekend or you can copy it down and bring it to class on Monday.  Enjoy your break. I'll see you soon.

-Ms. Betsy

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Sometimes, Tuesday feels like a Thursday

Hello!

You had very interesting answers to the homework last night.  Thanks for being full of creativity and laughter.  It is appreciated.

For homework, I want you to reflect on the lesson today and answer the following questions:

Besides opposing the westernization of Nigeria, what justification has Boko Haram given for kidnapping the students?

Research the recent news about Boko Haram and the kidnappings.  What has been the fate of the girls who were captured in April?

Tina's birthday is on Thursday.  We will have a small celebration tomorrow.  Bring a celebratory attitude and a smile for Tina.

See you tomorrow.

-Ms. Betsy

Monday, September 22, 2014

Monday, you can fall apart.... (but you don't have to)

Hello,

I know that getting back into the groove is hard on a Monday.  That being said, please be on time to class.  You miss a lot when you walk in late.

Your homework tonight is to make sure you have read all the way page 129.

1.  Put yourself in Arnold's shoes.  What would you have done if everyone wanted to go out to eat after the dance and you didn't have enough money?

2.  Arnold and Penelope's relationship is evolving.  Do you agree? In what ways is it evolving? Remember to cite specific textual evidence.

Thank you for working hard and being responsible!  You really are a great bunch of students and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. On time.

-Ms. Betsy


Friday, September 19, 2014

Another Friday, another weekend, another reason to smile

Hello young scholars!

Great job on your presentations today.  You proved that you researched the topics thoroughly.

Your homework for the weekend is...

Read pgs. 101 - 113

1.  What do you learn about Penelope?

2. Who is Earl?  Describe Earl.  (Not Earl Grant!  The Earl from the story)

3. Arnold says, "We were supposed to be happy with our limitations.  But there was no way Penelope and I were going to sit still.  Nope, we both wanted to fly".

Describe the differences between Arnold's limitations and Penelope's limitations.  In what ways do you feel limited?  How can you "fly" past these limitations?


Thursday, September 18, 2014

It's Thursday evening and the earth keeps spinning on its…..

Good evening, students.

Hopefully you are resting and reading.  (That was not meant to be sarcastic)

Your homework tonight is to continue working on your group projects.

Independently research your own topic.  Come to class with at least three new facts you didn't know before.


Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Wednesday's Homework

Good afternoon!!

Thanks for all of your hard work this morning.  The letters came out great.

Your homework for tonight is to click on this link and follow the instructions....

http://www.funtrivia.com/html5/index.cfm?qid=90066


Have fun!

See you in the morning.

-Ms. Betsy


Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Homework


Welcome to Tuesday! 

Your homework tonight is….

Junior describes his reservation as "located approximately one million miles north of important and two billion miles west of Happy."  Draw your own cartoon to illustrate this idea.  Have you ever felt this way?  Describe a situation in your own life when you have felt sympathetic to Junior.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Monday!

Welcome back to another wonderful week!

Your homework for tonight:



 1.  n  −  10w  +  7n  +  7  −  3n

2.   3  +  v  +  6z  +  7z  +  8v

3n + 8n + n + n + n

Remember - if there is a variable by itself you can assume the coefficient is 1.


Friday, September 12, 2014

It's Friday, Friday, Friday...

Welcome to the weekend, scholars.  You have worked hard and been flexible throughout the week.  Rest up and get ready to do it again!

At this point, you should have read up to page 78.

Your homework is to come up with at least one theme of the story so far.  Using pages 1-78, find a direct quote that relates to your theme and discuss how it relates and why it is important.

Have fun!