Hello, my happy back-from-vacation friends! Long time no blog . . . I know. I slacked on the week before vacation. You missed me, didn't you? Many of you came in so annoyed - "Ms. Wallace, the words weren't on the blog!" "Ms. Wallace, how could I do the homework without the blog?" "Ms. Wallace, do you think you could update the blog sometime this month?!?!?!?!" Wow - I didn't know you cared! So here's this week's entry - and it's a day early so stop your caterwauling!

So much due, so little time. . .

B period: 4/30 - sentences, 3 week project, polished writing piece; 5/2 - drafting, quiz; 5/8 (my BIRTHDAY) - sentences, quiz, drafting, dialogue journals.

D period: 4/30 - sentences, 3 week project; 5/2 - drafting, quiz, dialogue journals; 5/6 - polished writing; 5/8 (my BIRTHDAY) - sentences, quiz, drafting.

F period: 4/29 - polished writing piece; 5/1 - sentences, 3 week project, drafting, quiz; 5/9 - drafting, quiz, dialogue journals.

H period: 5/1 - sentences, 3 week project, dialogue journals, drafting, quiz; 5/5 - polished writing; 5/9 - quiz, drafting.

Phew - that's a LOT of grading.

Vocabulary 26 -

1. tangential - adj. - touching on a subject, digressing
2. trepidation - n - fear, apprehension
3. untenable - adj. - can't be defended, can't be maintained
4. vindictive - adj. - revengeful, unforgiving
5. folderol - n - foolishness, nonsense
6. aesthetic - adj. - artistic, showing appreciation of beauty
7. analogous - adj. - comparable, similar
8. dodger - n - a dishonest person
9. buffoon - n - a clown, a fool
10. caustic - adj. - mean, stinging

Honors only:
11. virulent - adj. - extremely poisonous
12. wary - adj. - very cautious
13. protract - v - to prolong
14. puerile - adj. - childish
15. maelstrom - n - whirlpool

Extra credit: sibyl - n, elcubrate - v, tunesmith - n , tumefaction - n, graminivorous - adj.

Hooray! It's blogging time again! In case you weren't aware, today is exactly one month until my birthday. . . May 8 is coming soon. Save up your money, think about what I'd like, buy it, and wrap it up. I LOOOOOVE festive wrapping. If you're having trouble deciding on a gift, remember that books are ALWAYS a good choice.

Back to school business.

Last week, you were all assigned to write at least three wildly improbable goals. Remember that these goals should seem nearly impossible to achieve, and they should be goals that you would really LOVE to achieve. You should have these goals written down by THIS FRIDAY, April 11. Then you can watch and observe and wait and see what happens as you become more conscious of ways to accomplish your goals.

Coming assignments:

B period: Vocabulary sentences 4/9, drafting 4/11, dialogue journals 4/11, polished writing 4/29 or 4/30.
C period: Wildly Improbable Goals 4/11, Vocabulary 11 Quiz 4/11.
D period: Vocabulary sentences 4/9, drafting 4/11, dialogue journals 4/11, polished writing 4/15.
F period: Vocabulary sentences 4/10, drafting 4/10, dialogue journals 4/10, polished writing 4/29 or 4/30.
H period: Vocabulary sentences 4/10, drafting 4/10, dialogue journals 4/10, polished writing 4/14.

Vocabulary 24:

1. effervescent - adj. - bubbly; full of energy
2. agog - adj. - highly excited and eager
3. contraband - n - illegal goods
4. porcine - adj. - resembling a pig
5. ebullition - n - a sudden, violent outburst
6. verslibrist - n - a writer of free verse
7. incipient - adj. - beginning
8. insipid - adj. - dull, bland, boring
9. nebbish - n - a pushover, a timid and ineffectual person
10. rapscallion - n - a rascal, a troublemaker

Honors only:

11. prodigious - adj. - enormous in size or quantity
12. unfledged - adj. - not fully developed, inexperienced
13. warren - n - a place where rabbits live; a crowded tenement
14. benighted - adj. - being in a state of intellectual darkness, ignorant
15. tyro - n - a beginner or novice

Extra credit:

versicle - n
peckniffian - adj.
swank - adj.
floccinaucinihilipilification - n
slugabed - n

Back to blogging as usual this week! Language Arts MCAS tests are OVER!!! Phew!!! What a relief!!! Now we can get back to our English FUN - vocabulary, drafting, dialogue journaling, reading, grammar - YAY!!!

Did you do well on your tests? I'll bet you did. You were prepared, you've had the best English instruction known to humankind, and you're pretty smart. How could you go wrong?

So, upcoming English events:

B period: drafting and sentences and quiz due on Thursday (and 3 week project if you didn't turn it in on Tuesday); dialogue journals are due next Friday, 4/11.
D period: drafting and sentences and quiz due on Thursday (and 3 week project if you didn't turn it in on Tuesday); dialogue journals are due next Friday, 4/11; polished writing pieces are due Tuesday, 4/15.
F period: sentences due Wednesday (and 3 week project if you didn't turn it in on Monday); drafting and quiz due on Friday; dialogue journals due next Thursday, 4/10.
H period: sentences due Wednesday (and 3 week project if you didn't turn it in on Monday); drafting and quiz due on Friday; dialogue journals due next Thursday, 4/10; polished writing due Monday, 4/14.

Vocabulary lesson 23 (we did NOT have a lesson 22):

1. implacable - adj. - not able to be satisfied; unyielding or relentless
2. ameliorate - v - to make better, to improve
3. bombastic - adj. - use of impressive-sounding language with little meaning
4. catharsis - n - emotional purification or relief
5. atrophy - v - to waste away
6. clemency - n - mercy, mildness
7. pejorative - adj. - negative, unfavorable
8. prowess - n - bravery; skill
9. devoid - adj. - lacking, entirely without
10. truculent - adj. - fierce and cruel, brutal

Honors:

11. quagmire - n - bog, marsh
12. badinage - n - teasing conversation
13. desultory - adj. - aimless, jumping around
14. iniquitous - adj. - unjust, wicked
15. smattering - n - small amount

Extra credit:

singultous - n
vulpine - adj.
kakistocracy - n
abaction - n
hypermnesia - n


That's all, folks!