01.13 - Formal Diction & Complex-Compound Sentences

At the beginning of class today, I presented everyone with two more roots from this week's set of roots and prefixes. In their writer's journals, everyone then responded to the following prompt:

spir - breath

crea - create

Brainstorm words that use these roots and explain how the root meaning may relate to the word meaning.

Write two sentences (per root) using some of the brainstormed words.

Next, we finished reviewing the formal diction packet by looking at cliches, stage directions, and specific language. People turned in these packets for a repeated practice grade.

We then returned to our work with sentence structure looking at compound-complex sentences (see below). We reviewed the sentence structures we have worked with so far and then looked at the compound-complex sentence structures.

Handouts:

Sentence Types 

      (see pages 8-9 for compound-complex sentences)

Formal Diction Packet

Work Submitted Today:

Formal Diction Packet

Homework:

Come up with two compound-complex sentences (see page 8 of the sentence type sheet).

Complete or revise your second motif paragraph as necessary (due Friday, Jan 16)

01.12 - Roots and Formal Diction

We started today's class with two of this weeks roots and prefixes (see below). People brainstormed words that used these roots and prefixes explaining the connection to the root's definition and then wrote two sentences for each root using two of these words.

tele - distant, far off

dent, dont - tooth

Next, we returned to our work with the formal diction packet. We reviewed sections B - E and then people worked on sections F and G with others in their group. We discussed these responses together as a class.

Handouts:

Formal Diction Packet

Homework:

Complete the formal diction packet.

Revise or complete your 2nd motif paragraphs for The Road as necessary.

01.09 - Quizzes and Revisions

At the beginning of class today, everyone took the unit two roots and prefixes test. Following this, everyone had the opportunity to revise their responses to questions four and five on the section 10 quiz for The Road and to complete or revise their 2nd motif paragraph as necessary.

When people were finished with this, we took a look at elements of speech in the casual speech register that should not be used when communicating in the formal register. Together in class we looked at section B (colloquialisms) and discussed some of these. For homework, people should complete sections B, C, D and E. We will review and discuss these in class on Monday and look at the rest of the packet as part of our work for class next week.

Handouts:

Formal Diction Packet

Homework:

Complete sections B (colloquialisms), C (filler words), D (contractions), and E (abbreviations) of the formal diction packet.

Revise or complete your 2nd motif paragraphs for The Road as necessary.

01.08 - Code Switching

We started today's class with a little more language register identification and practice with code switching. We looked at a selection from Amy Winehouse's song "Rehab" and everyone responded to the following prompt:

Which speech register does Winehouse's "Rehab" employ? How do you know?
Rewrite the featured lines from this song & in doing so code switch to a different register.

To help understand and interpret these lines we listened to an a cappella performance of the song for this year's American Idol by Maine native Cherry Lemonade (see video below).

Featured lyrics: 

They tried to make me go to rehab but I said, “No, no, no.”

Yes, I've been black but when I come back you'll know, know, know

I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine

He's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go, go, go

The man said, “Why do you think you're here?”

I said, “I got no idea.”


After everyone had a chance to respond to the writing journal prompt, we discussed people's answers and everyone had a chance to share out one of the lines that they code switched into a different register.

Most people identified the speech register of Winehouse's song to be "casual" and code switched the register to either "formal" or "consultative". This lead us into some discussion of how elements of speech registers can be mixed. We also looked at how casual speech can be difficult to interpret (e.g. "yes I've been black") which is why more formal registers focus on having clear meaning and carefully selected words.

Our discussion touched on why interventions like rehabilitation centers are often a positive life choice for people.

We then played a review game in preparation for our unit 2 test on Friday.

Tomorrow, we will have representatives from the Lewiston Regional Technical Center (LRTC) come in to speak to us about their programs.

At the end of class, I returned updated grade report sheets. We will have some time for revision work on Friday after the roots and prefixes unit test.

Homework:

Prepare for the unit 2 roots and prefixes test on Friday.

Cheer for Maine and check out Cherry Lemonade on American Idol. 
(after making sure all of your homework is complete).

01.07 - LRTC Presentation

Today, LRTC came in and presented information about the various programs that they offer.

If you would look more information about LRTC's programs, you can check them out here: Lewiston Regional Technical Center.

Homework:

Prepare for the unit 2 roots and prefixes test on Friday.

01.06 - Speech Registers

Today we looked at and discussed speech registers. These are different forms of speech that people use in various situations. Different registers of speech (which you can also think of as "styles" or "levels") are used at different times, in different situations, with different purposes.

We started class with a bit of a creative thinking activity looking at a conversation as presented by the musical group "The Books" in the track "PS" from their album The Lemon of Pink.

To see what we did with this and to see the rest of the information associated with speech registers, see the following presentation:

Formal Diction: Speech Registers

The speech register table (for quick reference):

Click Image to Enlarge

Homework:

Write a five sentence review of The Road in a casual register (like you were telling a friend what you thought of the book).

Then, rewrite that review, expressing all of the same ideas in a formal register (like you were writing a New York Times book review).


Class site bonus:
Another track by The Books (this is what their music generally sounds like).

01.05 - Sentence Structure and Roots Review

We started today's class with a review of sentence structures. Everyone then selected an activity card or two that represented their break and then used the sentence structures to write about their break.

Example:

Activity card:

Sentence types:

Compound:

Semicolon - Her dress is melting; it must be really hot out.

Coordinating Conjunction - Her dress is melting, so it must be really hot out.

Adverbial Conjunction - Her dress is melting; therefore, it must be really hot out.

Complex:

Subordinating conjunction & dependent clause - The lady is happy although her dress is melting.

Subordinating conjunction & dependent clause (start) - Although her dress is melting, the lady is happy.



After everyone had a chance to create their sentences we shared these out and people had an opportunity to talk about their break.

Next, we reviewed the unit 2 roots and prefixes in preparation for a test over all of these roots on Friday (see handouts for a practice sheet).

At the end of class, I handed back quizzes for the final section of The Road. People will have the opportunity to revise these quizzes tomorrow (all quizzes were handed back in at the end of class).

Handouts:

Unit 2 roots list


Homework:

Prepare for the unit two roots test on Friday by studying the list of words.

If you are going to be revising your quiz grade for the final section of The Road tomorrow, review the end of the book to help you prepare.