Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Gerunds & Phrases


Verbals & Phrases


Participal Phrase – can be lifted out of the sentence. Participal is an
adjective.

Gerund – Can be used as a subject - Reading is my favorite activity.
Can be used as a direct object - I enjoy reading.
Can be used as an object of a preposition – Today is a good day for
reading.
Can be used as a predicate noun – My favorite activity is reading.

Gerund Phrase – noun ending in – ing + one of the following:
an Adj.
Adv.
Direct Object
Prepositional Phrase

Infinitive – to + base form of a verb. An infinitive is either a noun, adjective or adverb.

Paul wants to leave. Is this the road to take?

Infinitive Phrase – to + base form of a verb and any of the following:
direct object, predicate noun, predicate adj.,
prepositional phrase, modifiers

1. First find the phrase
2. Take out to and the verb
3. Look at the rest of the phrase to determine if it is being uses as a noun, adj. or adverb.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Busy Week!!!!

As we are approaching the end of the school year it is going to be a busy few weeks! Please check with your parents if you are not going to be in school on Friday due to the Memorial Day Holiday next Monday. The schedule this week is as follows:

ALL Classes - Phrases Test Friday (Prepositions)
- If you will not be here Friday, it is in your best interest to take your test before you leave
for the weekend!

ALL Classes - AR Quiz due Friday

Reading Classes - Periods 3 & 8
- Act 4 quiz Tuesday
- Act 5 quiz next Wed. 5/28

Advanced Reading - Period 6
- Pi Final Project Due Thursday 5/22

Friday, May 16, 2008

Verbals: Notes


Verbals

Verbal – word that is formed from a verb but is used as an adjective, a noun, or an adverb.

Participle – adjective
Gerund – noun
Infinitive – adverb

Participle – verb form used as an adjective.

Use the present participle (-ing) and past participle (-ed) to form verbals.

Climb climbing climbed

Since participles act as adjectives they ALWAYS modify NOUNS!

A participle can come before or after the noun or pronoun it modifies.

Gerunds – the present participle of a verb (-ing) used as a noun.

- A gerund can be a subject, direct object, object of preposition and a predicate noun.

ALWAYS locate the simple subject and simple predicate in a sentence to determine if a the word is a gerund.

Running is both a fun and healthful exercise. (Running is the subject in this sentence therefore it is a gerund)

Infinitives – made up of the word to and the base form of the verb.

Infinitives can be used as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

Be careful not to confuse infinitives with prepositional phrases that begin with to.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Preposition Notes


Prepositional Phrases

Preposition – a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in a sentence.

Sometimes the preposition are made up of more than one word.

A preposition is always followed by an object or object of the preposition.

- Music Man Jr. will be performed on a large stage.

There can be more than one object this is called a compound object of the preposition.

Between Mr. Safranski and Mrs. Myers, is Miss Lepley's room.

The preposition, its object(s), and any other words in between form the prepositional phrase.
Mason ran from the bear.

Many sentences have MORE THAN ONE prepositional phrase. Each phrase include a preposition and object(s) along with any other accompanying words.

During the performance, we sat in the back row.

When the object of the preposition is a pronoun, BE CAREFUL – ALWAYS use the OBJECTIVE CASE! Me, him, her, us...

Rachel attended the play with them and me.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Life of Pi - final project


Life of Pi – end of book activity

Project #1

Narration and description work together to create a realistic account of an unrealistic event.

In 2-3 paragraphs, describe 3 ways in which Pi alters his story to be more 'believable' for the Japanese Ministry representatives.

You will get your Tiger Symbolism journal back and you must first outline 3 ways in which you can alter the journal to be more believable. For instance, if you thought that Richard Parker was real you must now change and try and get me to believe that Richard Parker is a figment of Pi's imagination.

Re-Write your journal in 2-3 paragraphs.

All in all – this is a 4-6 paragraph essay – it must be in final draft form and will be worth 100 points.

You will need to turn in your original Tiger Symbolism Journal, your outline and final draft of re-written journal and the 3 ways Pi alters his story to be more 'believable'.

Project #2

Select a scene that you found to be the most powerful, thought-provoking, or relevant to a theme you liked in the book.

- You will represent the scene in an image and a poem.

- Create this on a tri-fold poster board where the image will go in the middle of the board; the poem will go one side, and an explanation of why you believe your scene is important will go on the other side.

- All in all – this is a 4-6 paragraph essay – it must be in final draft form and will be worth 100 points.

Themes Include:

“The Better Story” - the predominant theme is the concept of the “better story”, in other words, the importance of telling a good story. Life itself is a story and one can choose his own story. The “better story” is the more imaginative one and , according to Pi, the one God would choose as well. One must have faith in something beyond bare logic.

“Science and Religion” - A minor theme is the reconciliation of science and religion as ways to understand the world. Pi meshes the two in order to survive 227 days on the lifeboat. He ends up majoring in both zoology and religious studies.

“Religious Syncretism - Another minor theme is the syncretism, or union of the seemingly opposing principals, of religions. As different as Pi's three religions are, they all involve a personal relationship with God. They are blended into Pi's own unique spirituality and remain with him as an adult.

Monday, May 12, 2008

FOR ALL INCOMING FRESHMAN - DGS INFO.!!!!

Below is the summer reading list from DGS - ALL of you are expected to select at least ONE of these books to read before the school year begins. You are more than welcome to read more than one of these books! You will be required to do this every summer during your high school career!


Summer Reading, Grade 9
Downers Grove South High School
May, 2008


Author Title

Bray, Libba A Great and Terrible Beauty
Sixteen-year-old Gemma moves from India to a London boarding school after her mother's surprising murder. While trying to find ways to fit in with her peers and deal with her loss, Gemma discovers her supernatural powers and uses them to explore the mystery of her mother's death. A page-turner set in Victorian England, this gothic mystery deals with issues still relevant today: female roles, parenting styles and family expectations.

Card, Orson Scott Ender’s Game
Imagine a brilliant young child, ripped from his family at a young age and forced to train for battle against an alien monster. Filled with surprises, this novel charts the growth of a deeply complicated young man as he prepares for inter-galactic battle. The ending will surprise you.

Giles, Gail Shattering Glass
The first sentence of this book tells of Simon Glass’ death. From there, we see how Rob, the most popular guy in school, who is also a new transfer, takes it upon himself to make this school geek win the school’s most prestigious popularity award. Despite all effort, Rob’s friends continue to hate Simon, but follow Rob’s requests, as outrageous as they may seem. Simon is hardly the innocent, all-good geek we see in the movies, and the standoff between Rob, Rob’s clique, and him will keep even those who avoid reading flipping the pages quickly.

Grogan, John Marley & Me
When John Grogan and his new wife pick Marley out of a litter of pups, they do not realize how their lives will change forever. An energetic, mischievous puppy, Marley is more than the couple can handle at first. He has a love of life and a fear of thunder, which causes chaos in the Grogans’ lives. Over time, however, Marley becomes one of the family. He grows into a calmer dog that is loving, loyal, and the best friend the Grogans could ever have. This book helps readers remember why dogs truly are “man’s best friends.”

Haddon, Mark The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Fifteen-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone loves the mysteries of Sherlock Holmes so when he discovers the body of the neighbor's dog, he is determined to solve the mystery of " who dunnit?" This decision leads this remarkable boy on an exciting, often funny, and sometimes heartbreaking adventure. An autistic child, Christopher faces serious challenges. He hates to be touched. He eats only particular foods, hates noises and crowds, and has some startling ways to determine Good and Bad Days. Despite the obstacles, Christopher uses his intelligence and determination to solve the mystery. His discoveries, however, force him and his parents to confront new truths and changes in their lives.

Hautman, Pete Invisible
Andy Morrow and Doug Hanson are an unlikely pair. Andy is a popular football player while Doug is unpopular and spends his free time working on a model railroad set. Despite their differences, they are best friends. Every time Doug has a problem or gets into trouble, Andy is there to support him. And like many friends, Doug and Andy also share many secrets, and secrets are tearing Doug apart. As Doug becomes more and more detached from reality, he looks to Andy for help, but will his friendship with Andy be enough to overcome the secrets he is hiding?

Kluger, Steve Last Days of Summer
Joey Margolis has a dilemma. He has bragged so much about his best friend, New York Giants’ baseball player Charlie Banks, that his school mates want proof. But Joey doesn’t really know Charlie – and so he has to find a way to make him his friend. Thus begins the story of a very unlikely relationship between a national sports hero and a 12 year old boy. A series of letters, notes, report cards, telegrams, baseball scorecards and newspaper clippings tell this funny and touching story as it spans the years before and during World War II.

Tashjian, Janet The Gospel According to Larry
Josh Swensen wants to save the world, but is too shy to speak out – so he creates a web site under the pen name Larry, where he posts his sermons about the flaws in our society – everything from consumerism to celebrity worship. His Web site quickly becomes a national phenomenon and "Larry" becomes a celebrity. Even his best friend Beth, with whom he is secretly in love, has become a fan. Josh is torn about whether to admit being Larry or keep his identity secret – until an obsessed fan makes the decision for him.

Woodson, Jacqueline If You Come Softly
Two students are new at Percy Academy, a private school in Manhattan. Jeremiah is a black boy from Brooklyn. Ellie is a white girl from New York City. Their first meeting in the halls at school is brief but powerful – and neither can stop thinking about the other. When they finally meet again, their connection is immediate, and a relationship begins. Walking in Central Park, Ellie looks down at her hand in Jeremiah’s and likes how it looks contrasted against his. They feel they belong together, but they are not prepared for the views of the rest of the world.

Zevin, Gabrielle Elsewhere
When 15 year-old Lizzie Hall wakes up on a ship cruising to Elsewhere, she does not know she is already dead. Anger, resentment, and longing for her life temporarily block her progress toward - hard as it is to believe - reincarnation. Joy, sadness, and ultimately acceptance fill Lizzie's journey "back" to her new and future roles.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Life of Pi - Chapter 92 - Chimera

Some of you may have been curious about Pi's island he found during yesterday's reading. We will hear more about the island in class today...



CHIMAERA

This Greek dish (probably 7th century bc) is one of the most ancient existing images of the Chimera myth. The subdivision in two sections, air on top and sea at the bottom, may be a hint of the true nature of the myth in its original form: the Chimera as a creature of the sky, possibly linked to storm and thunder. (Louvre Museum)



The Chimaera - or Chimera - was said to be made out of three different creatures: lion, goat and serpent. A savage beast, sprouting fire from its mouth, it devastated the land until it was killed by the hero Bellerophon who flew over it riding his winged horse Pegasus. Although simple in its basic lines, this story is among the most ancient ones of Occidental mythology and it hides some deep and still not completely known meaning. This site is an attempt to collect data and material about the Chimaera seen in its various aspects: myth, legend, art expression, and as a probe of the human mind.

Information found from the following site:
http://www.unifi.it/unifi/surfchem/solid/bardi/chimera/

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Band Trip

It is looking sad in the 8th grade hallway as many of our Lakeview Band students have left early this morning for the annual band trip. Below is what is taking place in my class over the next few days. Parents if you have any questions feel free to contact me. Students also saw this on my board over the last few days. Good luck Lakeview Band!!!

Thursday
LA - finish presentations
Reading - Book Report presentations

Friday (Mrs. Hayes out)
LA - SCOPE Magazine
Reading - Book Check Out - next BR due 5/23 - Free Choice AR

Monday (Mrs. Hayes out)
LA - Wordskills Unit 15 due Thursday
Reading 3, 8 - Read Act 3 scene 2 from Romeo & Juliet and complete worksheets
Reading 6 - silent reading time