February 18th, 2011

LANGUAGE ARTS QUICK HITS

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Please except my apologies for my recent lack of communication. I have been under the weather and finally took a sick day yesterday. I thought that I had sent a Homework Alert and updated my blog in regards to this weeks homework and vocabulary, when in reality I have not. Again, please forgive this lapse. I have moved this weeks vocabulary quiz to next Tuesday 2/22/2011 (because of the three day weekend) and passed out hard copies of the vocabulary words and definitions. Additionally, I have included them in this email and updated my blog.

* President's Day - No school this Monday 2/21/2011

* ISATS Approaching - ISAT testing will begin February 28th. Please remind students that this testing is important for them and the school. Standardized

* Today we began class with a writing prompt that asked students what three objects they would take with them if they had to leave home and live on their own. Objects varied from extremely practical to sentimental to just plain silly. I shared my three objects as well and we wrapped up the exercise with a very interesting and informative conversation about credit cards, how they work, how credit card companies make money and the importance of not buying things you can't afford or pay for.

* We started reading D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths earlier this week as a group. Today students read independently and took an open book quiz on the myths about Hera, Hephaestus, Aphrodite and Ares.

* HOMEWORK - students who did not finish the open book quiz are to take the quiz and reading home to complete over the weekend.

* HOMEWORK - Reading Responses due Tuesday


Vocabulary

Week 16

1. ambiguous– open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations

2. blithe – very happy or cheerful; casual or indifferent

3. emissary – a representative sent on a mission or errand

4. haphazard – characterized by lack of order or planning, by irregularity, or randomness; determined by or dependent on chance; aimless



5. careen – to sway or cause to sway dangerously over to one side

6. meridian – a point or period of highest development, greatest prosperity or the like

7. atrocious – extremely or shockingly wicked, cruel, or brutal



8. cede – to yield or formally surrender to another

9. indigence – seriously impoverished condition, poverty

10. avarice – a desire to hoard wealth, uncontrollable greed

11. boast – to speak with exaggeration and excessive pride, especially about oneself

12. modicum – a moderate or small amount

13. drivel – childish, silly or meaningless talk or thinking

14. embezzle – to take or steal funds for one’s own use, as money or property entrusted to one’s care

15. emir – a chieftain, prince, commander, or head of state in some Islamic countries

16. averse – having a strong feeling of opposition, antipathy, repugnance; opposed

17. carcass – the dead body of an animal

18. fraught – filled with

19. bolster – to support or reinforce, strengthen

20. mordant – sarcastic

21. montage – the technique of combining in a single composition pictorial elements from various sources, as parts of different photographs or fragments of printing, either to give the illusion that the elements belonged together originally or to allow each element to retain its separate identity as a means of adding interest or meaning to the composition.