Mr. McNeill's Homework Page 2011 - 2012
This page is for English 8 and French Immersion English 8. In the second semester, the page will also include Socials 8.
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Greetings to all students and families of grade eights at F.H. Collins. This web page is designed to keep everyone up to date on homework assignments and important events throughout the year. It will be updated every time there is a new assignment.
Over the last two years I have had several problems with homework and assignments which have been "handed in" by means of some sort of electronic format.
Very few of these have worked properly and I have often waited for several days for the glitch to be fixed and by then the assignment is hopelessly late. PLEASE DO NOT hand in work in any format other than pieces of paper placed in the appropriate class bins. Similarly, if there is even the smallest chance that your computer/printer/laptop or any other gizmo will not be working when you go to print your assignment, feel free to neatly hand write the assignment. It is MUCH better to have a clean, nicely handwritten piece of work in the bin on time than it is to chase some mysterious e-glitch around for days on end. I'm all for writing assignments on computer, just make sure everything's working before you go to print it out!
Independent Novel Studies - September '11 to January '12
Independent Novel Studies are designed to allow students to choose books which are both interesting to them and are written at a challenging reading level. Students choose their own books and the time for reading comes from a combination of both in-class silent reading time and reading at home. When students have completed a book (or 150 pages in a long book) they then write and opinion-based review with quotations and examples from the text to support their opinions.
* Students have detailed notes on the fine points of writing Independent Novel Studies as well as two examples and a mark sheet so that they know how the Novel Studies will be marked before they write them.
-English 8 students need to complete three Novel Studies by the start of January.
-Immersion 8 students need to complete three Novel Studies by the start of January.
- Students are welcome to complete more than the required number of Novel Studies for bonus points. They can also earn the chance to move on to writing Mind Maps which are a different type of Novel Study and are worth more points.
September 7 Grade eights now have detailed information on Independent Novel Studies.
They can now begin to hand them in. See info. above for more details.
September 8
English 1/2 Complete Seeing Both Sides decision box from "On The Bridge".
Respond to "Who is the real tough guy?"
Due Friday, Sept. 9
September 10 English 8 1/2 Pre-reading questions for The Outsiders
Students have detailed instructions from class
Due Wednesday, September 14
September 12 English 8 1/2 Students now have copies of The Outsiders and will be responsible for reading two chapters per night for the next six nights. Each day for the next six classes, there will be a brief quiz to check and see that the readings are being completed. Longer assignments will follow.
September 19 English 8 1/2 Outsiders Newspaper Assignment
Students have detailed instructions from class. 400-500 words.
Due Tuesday, Sept. 27
Immersion 8 The Immersion grade eights have had very few English classes because of the non-five day weeks, the alternating day schedules and their French camp. However, they have all the instructions and examples for starting Independent Novel Studies and we are now ready to start the pre-reading stories for The Outsiders
which will generate several pieces of homework. These delays vex me greatly but I am used to them and, like other years, it will all work out in the long run as we work our way through the year.
Immersion 8 September 19 Complete the "Decision" section for "On The Bridge"
Write your decision to answer the question, "Who's the real tough guy?".
Immersion 8 Pre-reading questions for The Outsiders
Students have detailed instructions from class
Due: Day 1 class Mon. Oct 3
Day 2 class Tues. Oct 4
Immersion 8 September 28 Immersion 8 students now have copies of The Outsiders and will be responsible for reading two chapters per class for each of the next six classes. In each of these six classes, there will be a brief quiz to check that the readings have been completed. Longer assignments will follow.
English 8 1/2 Illustrated Apostrophe - good copy
Due Wednesday, October 12
English 8 1/2 Punctuation Test (quotation marks, apostrophes and it's / its)
Thursday, October 13
Students have detailed notes and practice test from class
Immersion 8 Outsiders Newspaper Assignment
- students have detailed instructions from class
- 400-500 words
- Due dates:
Day 1 class - Tues. Oct 18
Day 2 class - Wed Oct. 19
English 8 1/2 Outsiders vs. "Outsiders" vs. "War of the Buttons"
-400-500 words
- students have detailed instruction pkg. from class
DUE TUESDAY, NOV. 1
Immersion 8 Quotation Mark Proofreading
"Jessica snarled..."
Rewrite sentences and add all missing punctuation
Day 1 class - due Wed. Nov. 9
Day 2 class - due Thurs. Nov. 10
English 8 1/2 Parts of Speech Test
- students have info. package and study cards from class
- Wednesday, Nov. 16
ALL GRADE EIGHTS! Sun. November 27
The final date for Independent Novel Studies is the first day back after Christmas break (Tues. Jan 3).
Many students still have two or even three left to write. Remember,the best marks will come from novel studies which are handed in before Christmas so that we can have a mini-conference about the writing. Novel studies have a BIG impact on the final English mark in January.
*Novel studies will be the big focus for homework between now and the break!
Immersion 8
-Punctuation Test (quotation marks, apostrophes and "it's" vs. "its" )
- Day one class: Thurs. Dec. 1
- Day two class: Fri. Dec. 2
English 8 1/2
- Poetic language test Tuesday, December 6
- Students have notes and many examples from class
Immersion 8 Outsiders vs. "Outsiders" vs. "War of the Buttons"
- 400-500 word comparison
- students have detailed info. pkg. from class
- DUE DATE Day one class - Tues. Dec. 13
Day two class - Wed. Dec. 14
EXAM SCHEDULE
-English 8 final exam: Monday, January 23 1:00 p.m.
-Immersion 8 half year exam
Day one class: Tues. Jan. 17 and Thurs. Jan. 19 during class
Day two class: Wed. Jan. 18 and Fri. Jan 20 during class
English 8 1/2 Story Song Unit - Due Tuesday, January 10
- all 15 pieces of work
- all partners assemble final product on the due date
Immersion 8 Pre-exam proofreading: "Officer T.J. Maloney"
Day 1 class: Monday, Jan. 9
Day 2 class: Tuesday, Jan. 10
English 8 1/2 Pre-exam proofreading: "Officer T.J. Maloney"
- Due Thurs. Jan 12
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February - June 2012
Second semester in Mr. McNeill's class will see the English program students switch to Social Studies while the Immersion students will continue with English because they are only half way through the course.
* Silent reading and Independent Novel Studies continue in second semester. Reading is
so important that the Socials students will continue to produce three more Novel Studies and the Immersions, once again, are responsible for another three.
The last day for Novel Studies is June 1 but it is much better to start early, get some feedback throughout the semester and be finished long before June rolls around.
Socials 8 Easter Island - Learning (Hopefully) From The Past
Due Tuesday, February 7
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