Professor McElroy's English Classes

5th Period Free Rice Reward Party

profmcelroy — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:42:50 +0000

5th Period Free Rice Reward Party

Hi Professor McElroy,

The Evite invitation for 5th Period Free Rice Reward Party on Wed. Jun 10 has been sent to your guests.

And the winner is…

profmcelroy — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:10:06 +0000

5th Period!!! Over the course of a week, 5th period donated 88,920 grains of rice by playing Free Rice.
(You must be in class tomorrow to collect your prize.)

Individual High Scores are as follows:

Bre S. – 41,100
Josiane F. – 15,270
Jessica S. – 12,930
Serafina B. – 12,020
Nicole G. – 9390

Each of these individuals will receive extra credit over the standard amount for participating.

Thank you to all who participated. Not only did you do something good for your mind and your grade, but you did something to help people in need, which you can feel good about. I encourage you all to keep playing over the summer.

Two Hours Left

profmcelroy — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:10:03 +0000

Still owe me something?

All of the journal prompts are attached. The deadline is 2:00 p.m. No, I will not accept it at 2:01.

Now get to work!

Professor McElroy

Email Journal Prompt 8.pdf

Email Prompt 9.pdf

Email Journal Prompt 10.pdf

Email Journal Prompt 11.pdf

Email Journal Prompt 12.doc

Email Journal Prompt 13.doc

For those of you who really pay attention…

profmcelroy — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:02:22 +0000

Tuesday and Wednesday’s word of the day is "study." Study: (v.) to acquire knowedge of; to apply the mind to learning; what you should be doing right now

The answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything is 42. (You can find this answer in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.)

This information will be on your test Thursday morning.

Quizlet Unit 8 Challenge Results

profmcelroy — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:08:23 +0000

Congratulations! Definitely exempt from tomorrow’s test are: Zach E., Wilgains P., Desiree B., Brendan D., Kevin M., and Delma M.

These people need to see me before the test tomorrow: Mandy B., Alex G., Jimena U., April S., Marcus D., and BigD1004 (way to follow the naming rules buddy!).

The game is now closed for test exemption purposes. But by all means, keep studying! And see what you can do with the Final Exam Set challenge.

Final Exam Set Challenge: Log on to the Final Exam Review Set (Units 5-8) and play Space Race (spend some time doing the flashcards first). Any student who beats my highest score will automatically get all vocabulary questions on the End of Semester Test correct (even if you don’t answer them). Of course, you have to create an account and be logged in for the score to be tracked. The contest deadline is 10:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 3rd. The link is http://quizlet.com/984472

See you all in class tomorrow!

Professor McElroy

A Little Light Reading

profmcelroy — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:39:04 +0000

Here are links to the .pdf files for Units 1, 2, 5, 7, and 9 of Writer’s Choice so that you can continue taking notes from these outside of class. Hard copies of these pages will not be permitted in the test. However, you should review them and take notes on material that strikes you as important. Your notes will be allowed in the test.

Professor Mac

I challenge you…

profmcelroy — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:42:46 +0000

QUIZLET COMPETITIONS

Think you can beat me at the Quizlet Space Race? Let’s see what you’ve got.

Unit 8 Challenge: Log on to the Unit 8 Set and play Space Race (spend some time doing the flashcards first). Any student who beats my highest score will receive full marks on the Unit 8 test scheduled for Wednesday, June 3, without having to take the test at all. Of course, you have to create an account and be logged in for the score to be tracked. The contest deadline is 10:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 2^nd. The link is http://quizlet.com/812223

FREE RICE COMPETITION

It’s back! 1^st, 4^th, 5^th, and 7^th periods will be competing against each other in a class-wide Free Rice competition. The class with the highest combined score will win a prize of my choosing. Individual effort will be rewarded with extra credit (provided all of the other work you owe me has been turned in). Try to stick to upper level vocabulary. Staying on the lower levels will not help you learn anything. While I will accept all scores for the class competition, only vocabulary scores on level 20 or above will be counted towards individual extra credit. All scores must be printed out and the hard copies must be turned in to me. I will not be accepting email scores this time. All scores must be turned in by Friday, June 5^th at 2:00 pm.

Any questions? No? Good. Then let’s see those high scores start rolling in!

TEST REMINDERS

Unit 8 Vocabulary Test – Wednesday, June 3

End of Semester Cumulative Test – Thursday, June 4

Email Journal Prompt 13

profmcelroy — Sun, 17 May 2009 16:13:57 +0000

This week’s journal prompt…

JUNIORS:
In 200 to 300 words, share what advice, wisdom, and encouragement you have to offer this year’s graduating seniors. As they take the steps that you will soon be taking yourselves, what do you want them to know?

SENIORS:
In 200 to 300 words, share your parting words of wisdom, hope, encouragement, and advice with the classes to come after you. As you leave high school for your future, what sage words to do you have to share with the students who will remain behind?

CHALLENGE!!!
Any class that can get EVERY student in that class to turn in their response to this prompt ON TIME will be exempt from Prompt 14!

As always, responses are due absolutely no later than 2:00 p.m. on Friday, May 22nd.

Professor Mac

Contest Alert!

profmcelroy — Fri, 15 May 2009 03:19:55 +0000

I came across a couple of contests I thought you might be interested in. Let me know if you enter one of these.

Brainyflix BrainyPics Double-Up Contest
Read about it here: http://www.brainyflix.com/main/contest_rules

Defining Twilight Essay Contest
Read about it here: http://www.brianleaf.com/index.php/Latest-News.html

Culminating Project Proposal – Point of View

profmcelroy — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:13:51 +0000

I have been asked by quite a few of you recently about which point of view your proposal should be written in. Your proposal should be written in first person. (I am doing this because I am going to be that when I graduate.) You should not be using second person (you) in your proposal. That means if you are explaining something about your chosen profession, you address people already in that field in the third person (he/she).

For example (Introductory Paragraph):

For my culminating project, I am going to publish an anthology of short stories. I will be studying for my Master’s Degree in Fine Arts this coming year and will use that time to write, edit, and submit for publication a collection of 10 to 20 short stories. This anthology will focus on re-creating eighteenth century romantic fiction.

To prepare myself for this project, I have interviewed two published authors, Nicholas Sparks and Stephen King, and the Editor-in Chief of Random House Books. These gentlemen have informed me that it typically takes someone a year to complete a project of this magnitude. I believe my background as a comparative literature major in college has more than adequately prepared me to undertake this project. Additionally, I feel this project will stretch my abilities as a writer and make me a more efficient editor of my own work. As I already own the necessary materials (computer and writing software), the only true cost of this project will be time. I expect to spend 2 to 3 hours a day for the next thirteen months working on this endeavor.

I hope this clears up any confusion.

Vocabulary Test on Tuesday – Time to Study!

profmcelroy — Mon, 11 May 2009 01:59:13 +0000

Forget where to find your Quizlet study links? They are on the left sidebar, but here they are again for your convenience.

This is important to you since there is a vocabulary test on Unit 7 this Tuesday!

All Quizlet Exercises

Study! Study! Study!

Email Prompt 12 – Due by Friday, May 15 at 2:00 p.m.

profmcelroy — Mon, 11 May 2009 01:54:07 +0000

I have provided three short, open-ended prompts. Choose one, and submit a short story based on that prompt. You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. You do not need to include the prompt verbatim in your story.

Be inventive, creative, and—where appropriate—humorous. Responses are due by Friday, May 15th at 2:00 p.m. (2:01 is late! You can, and should, turn this in earlier!)

A police detective is assigned to a case involving arson at several Krispy Kreme doughnut shops.
A man receives a package with no return address. It contains a pirate-style eye patch and a note.
You find an envelope full of money in a parking lot and decide to spend it on an adventure (not things).

Your response to this prompt needs to be at least 300 words. Send your responses to classjournal@gmail.com. Make sure your subject lines reads: Prompt 12 – First Name Last Name. All responses must be received by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, May 15th, REGARDLESS OF ABSENCES! Refer to your original instructions (on http://ourclassjournal.wordpress.com) for all of the other assignment details.

Missing something?

profmcelroy — Mon, 04 May 2009 22:50:35 +0000

Like this week’s email journal prompt?

I am giving you all a week off to concentrate on Culminting Project Proposals and catching up on your reading.

Juniors: Your proposals will be due May 22nd. And they need to be PERFECT! So I recommend you spend some serious time with this project.

Seniors: Your exams begin on May 21st and it will be on Pride and Prejudice. I will send out a study guide next week, but you need to make sure you finish the book before exam week.

Those of you who still owe me email assignments, I suggest you get them to me soon. As always, late work will earn you half credit (which is a lot better than none).

And finally, check out the class website redesign I’ve been working on and let me know what you think via this poll.

See you all soon!

ATTN: SENIORS!

profmcelroy — Mon, 04 May 2009 22:41:37 +0000

Your English exam starts on May 21st (3 days after I get back). You need to be done reading Pride and Prejudice by then. Time to pick up the pace!

Class Poll

profmcelroy — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:40:35 +0000

ATTENTION ENGLISH 3 STUDENTS – Email Prompt 11

profmcelroy — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:47:22 +0000

Unless I have contacted you individually, you are to assume your initial project proposal was accepted. That is the project you should be writing your introductory paragraph about.

Those of you who are changing your project (the 3 or 4 of you that have already sent me emails) may write your introduction about the new project, but you will need to make note of the fact that you have changed your project topic in your response and complete a new project approval form.

Also, this assignment is due in 26 hours and I have only received 6 responses.

What are the rest of you waiting for? Get to work!

Professor McElroy

Email Journal Prompt 11 – Read Carefully!

profmcelroy — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 02:38:00 +0000

Email Journal Prompt 11 – Due Friday, May 1 by 2:00 p.m.

This week there are different prompts for students in English III and English IV classes. Please make sure you respond to the correct prompt for your class.

English IV (2^nd and 3^rd Periods)

Seniors, graduation is rapidly approaching and I know you all are counting it down. This week I want you to think about what needs to be said at the commencement ceremony to wrap up your thirteen years of elementary and high school education. Traditionally, the valedictorian, salutatorian, and class president make speeches at graduation, but let’s pretend that you are making the final commencement address. What would you say? How would you put all you’ve learned and all you want your peers to know into a five minute commencement address? Write your speech (the whole thing) and send it to me for this week’s journal response.

English III (1^st, 4^th, 5^th, and 7^th Periods)

This week you need to write the introductory paragraph to your Culminating Project Proposal. Your introduction should give me a clear idea of what your project is and what the rest of your proposal will say. Check this introduction carefully for spelling and grammar errors. Refer to your project manual for additional information.

This paragraph MUST answer the following questions:

What exactly do you plan to do? (Remember this is the introduction to your proposal. It should be a brief description of your project. Remember, introductions should catch the reader’s attention.
Estimate the length of time to complete your product, service, or design.
By what date will this project be completed?
Why are you doing this project? (What motivated you to choose this particular project? List all your reasons.)
What skills, knowledge, experience, and personal qualities do you have that will help you complete this project? (What do you know and what can you do already that will help you complete this project?)
What do you expect to learn from this project? (Include both what you will learn in technical knowledge about a topic or area your project covers, and what general skills you will acquire by planning and completing a major undertaking on your own. List everything you will learn.)
How will you fund or find resources for your project? (Explain in detail how you will pay for the costs of your project. Include a budget if necessary. Remember, you are not required to choose a project that will be costly.)

(For this week’s prompt, you may attach your response as a Microsoft Word document – use the .doc extension, NOT .docx – as you will want to save this paragraph for use with your full proposal.)

Remember your responses need to be at least 200 words. Send your responses to classjournal@gmail.com. All responses must be received by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, May 1^st, REGARDLESS OF ABSENCES!

The subject of the email must contain the number of the prompt you are responding to and your name as follows: Prompt 11 – Jane Smith

As was the case last quarter, I will not accept “But I don’t have a computer at home” as an excuse for not participating in this assignment. There are computers all over school, including my classroom, and at the local public libraries that are available for your use. It is your responsibility to make time to get this done once a week. A 25% penalty will be imposed on assignments received other than by email

Extra Credit – If you would like to earn some extra points on each of these journal assignments, you may do so by setting up a blog in lieu of emailing each entry. (For more information on blogs, see the Wikipedia entry here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog) For this assignment, you may set up your own blog and post your responses to the journal prompts on the blog in lieu of simply sending me an email. I will simply subscribe to the blog’s feed to make sure you have posted your entries on time.

Refer to your original instructions (on https://ourclassjournal.wordpress.com) for all of the other assignment details.

Professor McElroy

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Email Journal Prompt 11.pdf (12 KB)

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Culminating Project Student Guide.pdf (164 KB)

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Email Journal Prompt 9 – Due Friday, April 10, 2009

profmcelroy — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 04:16:37 +0000

Email Journal Prompt 9 – Due Friday, April 10, 2009 by 2:00 p.m.

(There is no school on the 10th. However, I am giving you the entire week to get this one done. Plan accordingly.)

Once upon a time, in a school very much like yours, there were two students. One paid attention in class, did all of their homework, and received the highest marks each semester. The other did none of these things, refused to take school seriously, and barely passed each class. The first won a college scholarship and went away to a university after graduation. The latter graduated by the skin of their teeth and had trouble finding a minimum wage job … and then the pages go blank.

Tell me what happens next in this story.

Remember your responses need to be at least 200 words. Send your responses to classjournal@gmail.com. Make sure your subject line reads: Prompt 9 – First Name Last Name. All responses must be received by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, April 10th, REGARDLESS OF ABSENCES! Refer to your original instructions (on https://ourclassjournal.wordpress.com) for all of the other assignment details.

SURPRISE!!!

profmcelroy — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 03:05:22 +0000

Email Journal Prompt 8 – Due Friday, April 3, 2009 by 2:00 p.m.

Tell me the most fascinating thing you learned in any of your classes in the last two weeks. What lesson caught your attention and taught you something new and interesting? Why do you think this lesson was so powerful?

Remember your responses need to be at least 200 words. Send your responses to classjournal@gmail.com. Make sure your subject line reads: Prompt 8 – First Name Last Name. All responses must be received by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, April 3rd, REGARDLESS OF ABSENCES! Refer to your original instructions (on https://ourclassjournal.wordpress.com) for all of the other assignment details.

__________

SUMMARY OF INSTRUCTIONS (For those who have forgotten…)

This quarter you will continue keeping a journal online. You will be required to make seven entries in the journal; each entry is worth 20 points. I will give you a prompt and you will have one week to write a 200 word response. All entries must be made by 2:00 p.m. on the date they are due. (See deadlines below.)

All journal entries MUST BE MADE VIA EMAIL. You will type your response to each week’s prompt in the body of an email (no attachments) and send it to classjournal@gmail.com

The subject of the email must contain the number of the prompt you are responding to and your name as follows: Prompt 8 – Jane Smith

Deadlines for emailing of journal prompts:

Prompt 8 – Friday, April 3 at 2:00 p.m.
Prompt 9 – Friday, April 10 at 2:00 p.m.
(There is no school on the 10th. However, I am giving you the entire week to get this one done. Plan accordingly.)
Prompt 10 – Friday, April 24 at 2:00 p.m.
Prompt 11 – Friday, May 1 at 2:00 p.m.
Prompt 12 – Friday, May 8 at 2:00 p.m.
Prompt 13 – Friday, May 15 at 2:00 p.m.
Prompt 14 – Friday, May 22 at 2:00 p.m.

SOME RULES:

Proper writing rules apply, regardless of the medium. That means no abbreviations, no poor spelling (use spell check AND proofread), and ABSOLUTELY NO TEXTSPEAK! I will not LOL!
Do not use any profanity in your responses and use slang only as is truly appropriate.
Put your response in the body of your email; do not attach a separate document.
You do not have to put your emails in MLA format.

For this assignment, you may set up your own blog and post your responses to the journal prompts on the blog in lieu of simply sending me an email. I will simply subscribe to the blog’s feed to make sure you have posted your entries on time.

Wednesday, 18 March 2009

profmcelroy — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:06:49 +0000

Today all classes watched a video on the writing process. It is available through the link below or the video links on the left sidebar.

Writing Process Video

All students must watch the video and take notes. English III students must turn their notes into me before Friday, March 20th as they are being graded.

ALL WORK DUE THIS WEEK!

profmcelroy — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:07:52 +0000

ALL late and make-up work for the third quarter is due by Friday, March 20th!

NO WORK will be accepted after Friday, March 20th (as I will not be here)!

If you want an assignment to count towards your grade this quarter, you have to turn it in this week!

Email Journal Prompt 7 – Due Friday, March 20, 2009

profmcelroy — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:52:13 +0000

Email Journal Prompt 7 – Due Friday, March 20, 2009 by 2:00 p.m.
(Last one for the 3rd quarter)

Finish the following statement. (Tell me what you are going to do and how. Convince me you are a powerhouse of self-discipline and inspired motivation.)

Today I am finally going to …

Remember your responses need to be at least 200 words. Send your responses to classjournal@gmail.com. Make sure your subject lines reads: Prompt 7 – First Name Last Name. All responses must be received by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, March 20th, REGARDLESS OF ABSENCES! Refer to your original instructions (on http://ourclassjournal.wordpress.com) for all of the other assignment details.

In the interest of spurring you to action, I will be awarding those who turn in responses early. Responses received Monday will earn 4 extra points. Tuesday gets you 3 points, Wednesday 2 points, and Thursday 1 point.

PROFESSOR IS PERTURBED!

profmcelroy — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:24:54 +0000

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PlagiarismReading.pdf (54 KB)

Today I spent several hours reading and grading responses to your journal prompts. This should have been an enjoyable exercise that gave me a bit more insight into your writing and thinking abilities than our short time together in class allows. What I found, however, is that the majority of you are not taking these assignments seriously.

The responses I have received are littered with typos, spelling errors, lack of punctuation, and poor grammar. You are supposed to be treating these assignments as any other formal writing assignment, which means proofreading and attention to detail are necessities. Most of you are not even bothering to make sure your have put the correct subject line on your emails. For those who have forgotten, I deduct 3 points (15%) from your grade for an incorrect subject line. (There is a reason I include it with the instructions every time.)

Additionally, several of you have not taken my warnings about plagiarism to heart. Today I entered failing marks for 12 students who plagiarized their responses. This is distressing for several reasons, not the least of which is that once you have been caught cheating once in a nine weeks, you risk failing the entire quarter over something as simple as sharing homework (a practice you all know I DO NOT condone).

These assignments are designed to allow you to express YOUR opinions and YOUR creativity. As there is no right or wrong answer, there is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON that any of you should be using other people’s words rather than your own.

I have attached a document on plagiarism that I am requiring ALL OF YOU to read and be familiar with. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, ANY STUDENT CAUGHT PLAGIARIZING, OR OTHERWISE CHEATING, IN MY CLASS WILL NOT ONLY BE SUBJECT TO THE CLASS POLICY BELOW, BUT WILL BE WRITTEN A DISCIPLINE REFERRAL FOR OPEN DEFIANCE AND CHEATING!

The following is our class policy on cheating and plagiarism as found in your syllabus:

CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM: Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. If you are caught cheating on ANY assignment, you will receive a zero. In addition, you will be barred from earning any extra credit points for that entire semester and any extra credit points you had previously earned will be removed from your grade. Any student caught cheating a second time will automatically receive an “F” for that quarter.

My definition of cheating includes the following:
•    copying homework or classwork
•    looking on another student’s test or quiz
•    letting another student look on a test or quiz
•    using other secretive methods of giving answers on a test or quiz
•    taking information from another source that is not properly attributed
•    working with others on an assignment that was meant to be done by individuals
•    taking papers from the Internet, other publications, or other students
•    taking any part of a test to use or to give to others
•    using someone else’s words, ideas, or work in an assignment without proper attribution

Please do not allow these gross mistakes in judgment to continue.

Sincerely,

Professor McElroy

Ode to Dr. Seuss – Storybook Assignment

profmcelroy — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:58:37 +0000

Ode to Dr. Seuss – Storybook Assignment Instructions

1) Write a funny story in the style of Dr. Seuss. Your story must be at least 10 stanzas / paragraphs long. (Although you are writing like Dr. Seuss, this does not necessarily have to be a children’s story.)

2) There must be a moral to your story. (Start with this. It will make the rest of the assignment easier!)

3) Your story must incorporate 5 of your Word of the Day vocabulary words, each used correctly.

4) You must turn your completed story into book. (Hardcover, paperback, eReader, or audiobook)

You will receive 2 grades for this assignment; a project grade based on your participation and ability to follow directions, and an extra credit grade for your creativity.

Due Wednesday, March 18th

Email Journal Prompt 6 – Due Friday, March 13, 2009 by 2:00 p.m.

profmcelroy — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 11:47:09 +0000

Email Journal Prompt 6 – Due Friday, March 13, 2009 by 2:00 p.m.

You have been selected by NBC to produce a PSA (Public Service Announcement) for their “The More You Know” series on the importance of reading. (You can Google this if you are looking for examples.) It is to be directed to your peers (high-school students) and should stress why teenagers should take more time to read. Write the script for your advertisement.

*** A Note About Email Responses: Several of you have fallen victim to the seeming informality of email and are not spell-checking or proofreading your responses. Be cognizant of the fact that I am grading these responses for mechanics (grammar and spelling) as well as content. Please make sure there are no typographical errors in your work before you hit “send.” ***

Remember your responses need to be at least 200 words. Send your responses to classjournal@gmail.com. Make sure your subject lines reads: Prompt 6 – First Name Last Name. All responses must be received by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, March 13th, REGARDLESS OF ABSENCES! Refer to your original instructions (on http://ourclassjournal.wordpress.com) for all of the other assignment details.