Mrs. Stevenson Smith’s English

I hope your return to school finds you refreshed and energized for a year of great learning!

As a sophomore taking my English 2a class, plan to jump right into thinking the first day. You will be analyzing and evaluating and writing about all that thinking on the first day! Don’t worry! It’ll be fun!

As a dual credit student in my English 101 class, prepare to write like you’ve never written before because what you called writing before is only the beginning. Writing is more than the Six Writing Traits. Fear not! I will be by your side as your personal writing coach. Repeat after me: “I will get college credit! I will get college credit! I can do this!”

Regardless, dear student, I know it takes great effort some days to get to the desk in my classroom. Just know this, it will be well worth it. That’s my guarantee: Come to class and your investment will pay off in the long run. Your education is the greatest investment you make for yourself. And that’s the truth!

See you in class!

Due date for the comparison essays will NOT change due the AIMS test schedule. The classes will be long enough as to not interfere with our production of the essay. Comparison essays are DUE – Wednesday, October 28th. Come to class with the typed final draft ready to complete the reflection.

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After spending time “on the edge,” we will be exploring what it takes to “strive for success” in the next thematic unit.

What are you currently “striving for success” in at this time in your life? To get good grades? To be a better person? To get a job? To get a scholarship? To stay in school?

For this Theme Paper, you will read about characters who face many challenges while striving for success even though “success” means something different to each of them. Focus on the characterization of each protagonist. What qualities do they each have that will aid them in striving for success? See your assignment paper for more details.

This Theme Paper will be finished Feb. 17th. Your essay will be due on the same day!

English 2a students are reading Running Loose by Chris Crutcher now and until December 16th. Take note of the following due dates:

Read Chapters 1-4 by 11/25 /Graffiti Gram due 12/1

Read Chapters 5-10 by 12/3 /Graffiti Gram due 12/4

Read Chapters 11-15 by 12/10 /Graffiti Gram due 12/11

Read Chapters 16-19 by 12/15 /Graffiti Gram due 12/16

Graffiti Journal due 12/16 also

STUDENTS SHOULD BE SURE TO GET ALL MAKE UP WORK IN BY DECEMBER 12. NO WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED PAST THAT DATE!

This week students are starting the third Vocabulary Rotation. The quiz for Vocab List #3 will be September 26th.

We will be reviewing strategies on how to improve two of the Six Writing Traits that students had difficulty on in the first essay: Word Choice and Sentence Fluency.

The next writing assignment will begin on Wednesday, September 17 where the students will write a “Letter to the Editor.” The main objectives reflect the AZ state standards of writing persuasively and writing in letter format. Students will explore topics for their letters on the early release days, Thursday and Friday.

All REVISIONS OF M & M ESSAYS ARE DUE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18. NO EXCEPTIONS.

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES ARE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 FROM 4:30 – 7:30 PM.

The fall semster publishing dates for The Publication Formerly Known as Students Speak Out! are:

October 8th

December 10th

Spring semester dates tba.

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