My goodness! It seems like a lifetime since I've blogged. Well, it has been since last year! Happy New Year! I know, it's a little late for that; I've already happy new yeared everyone. But still, it's nice to spread the cheer of the new year . . . (Did you notice that rhyme?)

Okay, enough prattling (vocabulary word); we have work to do!

B period: You should have all turned in your second polished writing pieces. They were due last week! Drafting pages are due on Thursday, as are vocabulary sentences and dialogue journals.

D period: Your dialogue journals were due last week. Drafting pages and vocabulary are due on Thursday. Let's turn in a polished writing piece next week.

F period: You should have all turned in your second polished writing pieces. They were due last week! Vocabulary sentences are due today. Drafting and dialogue journals are due on Friday.

H period: Your dialogue journals were due last week. Vocabulary is due today. Drafting pages are due on Friday. Remember to have an I wonder poem, also.

REMEMBER: We are doing the writing prompts in class on Wednesday and Thursday next week. (Except C period - yours will be during your exam period.) I will be out of school next week on Tuesday. I will go over writing prompt strategies with F and H period on Friday. I will do the same for B, C, and D on Monday.

I have distributed exam review/assignment sheets to all classes. If you were absent, make sure to get copies!

This week's vocabulary is the last one before the exam.

Vocabulary 14:
recluse - n - one who lives alone and away from others
farrago - n - a jumble, a confused mixture, a hodge-podge
vernacular - n - slang, informal language
unguent - n - ointment, salve
succinct - adj. - brief and to the point
taciturn - adj. - not talkative
tout - v - to praise highly, to speak positively about
unimpeachable - adj. - beyond reproach, can't be blamed for anything
viable - adj. - able to live or survive
wanton - adj. - deliberately malicious and cruel, immoral

Honors only:
prattle - v - to babble, to talk meaninglessly
mettle - n - courage and fortitude
gregarious - adj. - sociable, outgoing
enmity - n - hostility, hatred
vexatious - adj. - annoying, troublesome