Dear Classmates

Dear Classmates and upcoming Freshman, 
  My first year in high school English is coming to an end, and i would like to give you all a few tips of surviving and getting good grades in high school English. My first tip would be always study a couple of days in advance when it comes to quizzes and test. I know whenever we were in middle school English you could just study the day before and get an A. But, high school English tests are different in ways that are microscopic. You do not really notice how they are different, but it just test more than your knowledge. 
  The second tip i have for you is always ALWAYS organize! Organization is the key to success. As most would know if you organize everything where you know where it is, it will always be easy to find all the handouts, or anything else. The third tip is keep everything that your teacher gives you. Because sometimes those random handouts that you do not think have any meaning could give you extra points on test and quizzes. Everything has meaning when you are in high school English. My fourth tip would be listen to the teacher. Also this is another thing that you could get away with in middle school. Because if you listen and take notes during class you will retain the information so much better! I have given you all the key to success, use you time wisely, and take my advice, and you will get a great grade in English 1!

Evaluation for 4th Quarter

   During freshman year I noticed that in the section of general procedures, I have come a far way. Almost every time i would come to class prepared will all my notebooks, and pencils, and a book if necessary. Going to the bathroom between classes is kind of hard for me the reason for this is whenever i would do that i would always end up late to class. I would check the Episcopal website several times, every night just to make sure i did not miss an email, or anything important. I would turn in my assignments on time, or unless i was given extended time. During class i do not always have a cooperative attitude, sometimes i would be laughing and it would interrupt the class, and what Dr. deGravelles was teaching. 
  In the category of lecture, announcements, whole class discussion i think i did okay. The reason why i say that is sometimes when i was really tired i would not listen in with both ears, but most of the time i was listening. I would comment to help keep the discussion going, and sometimes my question were not relevant to what the class was talking about. I would listen to my peers question and comments. Sometimes i would have side conversations with my peers. 
  The category of individual and group work i would focus on the task, because the more i got done, the less i had to do later. I would not distract other, and engaging in conversations that are not relevant to the task falls into the category of not distracting others.I would also try to go for the maximum quality, and i would always to and keep my group relevant to the task.
  The growth of my participation over the year has grown. The reason i say this is because i have become a better student by listening, and participating during many discussions that we have had over the year. 

Lady Macbeth

  I, the greatest of all, Lady Macbeth. I have finally convinced Macbeth to do my dirty work, and I now have to convince him to kill Malcolm. I am capable of many great things, if Macbeth chickens out like the coward he is, then i must kill Malcolm myself because we deserve to be the queen and king. I feel no guilt for what i have done, I feel triumph because we got away with the KING's murder. Only the best can do that, which i am the best. Those weird sisters were a blessing telling Macbeth that he was going to be king, and Macbeth was going to let fate take its course HA! As we all know Macbeth is weak and useless. 
  I hope once we have killed Malcolm we will get away with it, because i for one does not want to go to jail, and go crazy. I cannot wait to see what the future holds. Whomever might be reading this, watch your back, because you might be next. 


Lady Macbeth

Free Reading Throughout the Year

   Free reading throughout the year was really great. The reason why is if i was not told to read every week i probably would not have. This year has been one of my toughest because it was my first year of high school, and the work load threw me off balance. What i have learned is i love reading romances, i never really thought i would like reading those books, but this year i tried out reading The Lucky One. It was an amazing book. What i have confirmed with my previous beliefs is that i still love reading, this year i took my time, but whenever those breaks came i just attacked the books like there was nothing left. 
   I have used what i learned over the course such as how the author might describe the characters differently, to make the reader give more thought on what the significance of this character might be. The books that i read over the year have not really connected themes with any other books. What i have in mind to read next is The Notebook. I really cannot wait, because i have heard so many good things about this book. 


Reading Log:
Wednesday--60 minutes, The Lucky One
Friday--100 minutes, The Lucky One
Sunday--20 minutes, The Lucky One

Writing Wrap-Up

Alexandra Bowers

April 29, 2012

Block 4

Dr. deGravelles

Writing Wrap-Up

Throughout my ninth grade year writing papers’ has been tough. The hardest story to write out of all the papers has definitely been the literary analysis, Just Lather, That’s all, but is it? My overall score was not my best, but it was not my worst either. Most of the comments that I received from this paper made sense. The one comment that I was confused about was the first comment of the paper. The reason why I do not understand is whenever I said that Captain Torres was the antagonist, I meant that he was depicted as the bad guy in the short story. The majority of the comments that I was given throughout this paper were about not developing the paragraphs enough. Also, some of the quotes I did not give enough information to support it.

            The second hardest paper that I wrote was the research paper, The Issue of Human Trafficking and Sexual Abuse in Thailand. One of the main problems that I had with this paper was where to put the commas when I was writing the citation. I would also have trouble when I should know where put a comma, semicolon, or just a period. This paper had many mechanics errors. Also, another thing that I had trouble with was organization. It was difficult because I had collected a stack of information, and I couldn’t put all that information in a logical order. The last problem I had was word choice. I have to admit that I am never good when it comes to word choice. Once I reread the paper I wondered if I made my paper too casual, even though this paper was casual. In the end I was proud of the grade I was given.

            The first paper that we wrote this year was called Reading Through the Years. This was the worst paper that I had written all year. The main errors that I made were fragments, comma splices, and missing commas. All in all my mechanics were a little rusty from just coming off of summer. I agree with all of the comments that I was given.

            The descriptive profile was the second essay that we wrote, and mine was called My Backyard. I did not have many problems throughout this paper, but the main problem is I did not elaborate on the details as much as you had wished. Also, another problem I had was I make things to wordy. For example I wrote “beautiful flower that is a yellow-orange color”. The last paper I am discussing in the WrAP essay. I admit that I was expecting 3’s and 3.5’s. The reason is I do not know how the music industry works. I felt that I could not contribute to what the prompt was asking, and I did not have enough information to support the paper. So I found this essay difficult not only that we had to complete it in two days, but also I always like having more information than necessary, but also this time I had less information that was needed.

            Throughout the ninth grade I think have improved my writing skills a ton. The feedback that I was given matches what I have learned over the year, because in the beginning I would have many fragments and comma splices, but now I have improved upon that. I have also worked on if I should put a comma here of have a semicolon. Throughout the year I have improved on voice, ideas, sentence fluency and conventions, but I am still having trouble with organization, and word choice. Next year I plan on working on my two weak spots and also I would like to improve on the parts where I have gotten stronger. First, whenever I start to write my papers I will ask my teacher if he or she could review it (if they are allowed to), and then work on making the weak spots in the paper better. Second, I will ask one of my peers to review my paper, and see if there are any mistakes that need to be fixed. Third, if I am still having trouble I will go and visit this teacher to ask what I am doing wrong and then I will correct the mistakes I have made. This year I wished I would have done this more often, even though I did do it, I wish I would have repeated these steps multiple times. I am satisfied with the work I have done, but next year I want and will improve on all of my weaknesses. 

Sissy's Common Errors List

Common Errors List:

1. Misspelling:

Incorrect—“In addition, the barber said, “’So it was going to be very difficult to explain that I had him right in my hands and let him go peacefully—alive and shaved’” (286).

Correct—“In addition, the barber’s said, “‘so it was going to be very difficult to explain that I had him right in my hands and let him go peacefully—alive and shaved’” (286).

2. Instead of a colon, a period was needed:

            Incorrect—“The barber’s moral decision is decided with the following statement: ‘but I don’t want to be a murderer. You came to me for a shave. And I perform my work honorably. I don’t want blood on my hands. Just lather, that’s all. You are an executioner and I am only a barber.’” (287).

            Correct—“ The barber’s moral decision is decided with the following statement. “’But I don’t want to be a murderer. You came to me for a shave. And I perform my work honorably. I don’t want blood on my hands. Just lather, that’s all. You are an executioner and I am only a barber.’” (287).

3. Fragment:

            Incorrect—“Meaning Captain Torres probably always thinks of the repercussions of killing someone before and after he kills people.”

            Correct—“Captain Torres gives thought to killing his enemies.”

4. Missing Period:

            Incorrect—“As Yursil said that “’agent rushed him through signing the contracts, at least the one of which was in English, which Yursil does not read’” (“Slaves put Squid on U.S. Dining Tables from South Pacific Catch”)

            Correct—“As Yursil said that “’agent rushed him through signing the contracts, at least the one of which was in English, which Yursil does not read.'” (“Slaves put Squid on U.S. Dining Tables from South Pacific Catch”)

5. Missing Quotes:

            Incorrect—“This was passed in April 8, 1864 by the senate, and it was adopted by 

December 6, 1865.”

            Correct—“This was passed in April 8, 1864 by the senate, and it was “adopted” by 

December 6, 1865.”

6. Missing Period

            Incorrect—“Thailand defines trafficking as ‘recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of person, by the means of the threat or use of force for the purpose of exploitation’”

            Correct—“Thailand defines trafficking as ‘recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of person, by the means of the threat or use of force for the purpose of exploitation.’”

Outside Reading

Saturday--100 minutes Pretty Little Secrets 
Sunday--50 minutes Pretty Little Secrets