1. I’m Basically Positive:  In your writing, strive for accuracy, but don’t qualify every other assertion with words like rather, mostly, little, extremely, really, and so on.  Rewrite the following paragraph, removing all qualifiers:  Although almost everyone should be allowed to eat pretty much whatever he or she wants, I basically draw the line at eating pesto for breakfast.  My little brother completely refuses to eat anything even slightly normal in the morning:  he fully insists on eating pasta with pesto.  My mother doesn’t really care, but I usually get really annoyed by it.

2. Then I Said, Like, What?:  Create a dialogue between the two ditziest people you can imagine, such as Bambi and Biff.  Each character should speak at least ten times.

1. Amanda Destroyed His Treehouse:  Altering a word or two can completely change the meaning of a sentence.  Rewrite the sentence below six times, each time changing two words.  An example has been included for you.  Serge opened his birthday present.  Serge opened his cellar door.

2. A Lot of Parrot Paraphernalia:  Believe it or not, the word alot does not exist.  It is a made-up word that is never grammatically correct.  Always use the phrase a lot instead.  To ensure that you never, ever forget this rule, write four sentences using a lot.  Write one about parrots, one about free speech, one about bicycles, and one about Antigone.

1. If a friendly Martian landed in your backyard, what would be one thing you would teach it and why would it be important for him to know that?

2. Unit Outline questions for Antigone

1. In My Humble Opinion, Your Facts Are Wrong:  Fact refers to something that can be proven true, while opinion refers to something a person believes or perceives.  Think about the last movie you saw.  Write three factual sentences about the movie.  Then write three sentences that describe your opinions about the movie.  If you were writing about Old School, for example, two of your sentences might read:  Fact:  Many people really loved the movie Old School.  Opinion:  I consider Old School one of the stupidest, most offensive movies ever mad.

2. A Seat From Fenway, Elvis's Guitar:  If you had all the money in the world and you could own any one piece of memorabilia, what would you choose?  Answer this question by writing a paragraph that has a topic sentence and at least four supporting sentences.

1. myspace.com article responses

1. If I Could've Gone to Harvard...:  Could've is the contraction of could have.  People sometimes write could of when they mean could've or could have.  Unfortunately, could of is an imaginary phrase.  Never use it.  To memorize this rule, write four sentences using could have.  Write one about rhinestones, one about fake nails, one about college, and one about a suitcase.

2. Always Use Transitions:  Transitions are the sentences or words that aid readers in following the flow of your argument or point.  Transitions can be used to :  show contrast:  Katie eats popcorn after school.  In contrast, Brian eats cereal. elaborate:  I love shopping for movies at Cat's.  In addition, I try to find the soundtracks for my favorite movies on CD while I'm there.  provide an example: You can get many useful items at that store.  For example, Patrick recently picked up a lava lamp and a bobblehead doll.  show results:  Manny ingested nothing but Red Bull and burgers every day for a month.  As a result, he gained ten pounds.  show sequence: The police arrested Bob at the party.  Soon after, Harvard rescinded Bob's acceptance, and eventually, Bob drifted into a life of flipping burgers.  Come up with five sentences of your own, each one of which uses one of the kinds of transitions explained above.

3. Unit outline questions for Metamorphoses

1. Lobster, Caviar,Cheesecake: If you were choosing the menu for your last meal, what would it include? Write DETAILED descriptions of each item on the menu.

2. May I, Kind Sir, Interrupt?: Commas can be used to set off words that interrupt. For example: Jane, on the other hand, has always wanted to try synchronized swimming. Write four sentences that use commas in this way.

1. I’m Basically Positive:  In your writing, strive for accuracy, but don’t qualify every other assertion with words like rather, mostly, little, extremely, really, and so on.  Rewrite the following paragraph, removing all qualifiers:  Although almost everyone should be allowed to eat pretty much whatever he or she wants, I basically draw the line at eating pesto for breakfast.  My little brother completely refuses to eat anything even slightly normal in the morning:  he fully insists on eating pasta with pesto.  My mother doesn’t really care, but I usually get really annoyed by it.

2. Then I Said, Like, What?:  Create a dialogue between the two ditziest people you can imagine, such as Bambi and Biff.  Each character should speak at least ten times.

1. Amanda Destroyed His Treehouse:  Altering a word or two can completely change the meaning of a sentence.  Rewrite the sentence below six times, each time changing two words.  An example has been included for you.  Serge opened his birthday present.  Serge opened his cellar door.

2. A Lot of Parrot Paraphernalia:  Believe it or not, the word alot does not exist.  It is a made-up word that is never grammatically correct.  Always use the phrase a lot instead.  To ensure that you never, ever forget this rule, write four sentences using a lot.  Write one about parrots, one about free speech, one about bicycles, and one about Antigone.

1. What would you rather be:  president of your class, lead in a school play, or captain of a sports team?  Explain why your choice is best for you.

2. Unit Outline questions for Antigone

1. In My Humble Opinion, Your Facts Are Wrong:  Fact refers to something that can be proven true, while opinion refers to something a person believes or perceives.  Think about the last movie you saw.  Write three factual sentences about the movie.  Then write three sentences that describe your opinions about the movie.  If you were writing about Old School, for example, two of your sentences might read:  Fact:  Many people really loved the movie Old School.  Opinion:  I consider Old School one of the stupidest, most offensive movies ever mad.

2. A Seat From Fenway, Elvis's Guitar:  If you had all the money in the world and you could own any one piece of memorabilia, what would you choose?  Answer this question by writing a paragraph that has a topic sentence and at least four supporting sentences.

1. myspace.com article responses

1. If I Could've Gone to Harvard...:  Could've is the contraction of could have.  People sometimes write could of when they mean could've or could have.  Unfortunately, could of is an imaginary phrase.  Never use it.  To memorize this rule, write four sentences using could have.  Write one about rhinestones, one about fake nails, one about college, and one about a suitcase.

2. Always Use Transitions:  Transitions are the sentences or words that aid readers in following the flow of your argument or point.  Transitions can be used to :  show contrast:  Katie eats popcorn after school.  In contrast, Brian eats cereal. elaborate:  I love shopping for movies at Cat's.  In addition, I try to find the soundtracks for my favorite movies on CD while I'm there.  provide an example: You can get many useful items at that store.  For example, Patrick recently picked up a lava lamp and a bobblehead doll.  show results:  Manny ingested nothing but Red Bull and burgers every day for a month.  As a result, he gained ten pounds.  show sequence: The police arrested Bob at the party.  Soon after, Harvard rescinded Bob's acceptance, and eventually, Bob drifted into a life of flipping burgers.  Come up with five sentences of your own, each one of which uses one of the kinds of transitions explained above.

3. Unit Outline questions for Metamorphoses

1. Lobster, Caviar,Cheesecake: If you were choosing the menu for your last meal, what would it include? Write DETAILED descriptions of each item on the menu.

2. May I, Kind Sir, Interrupt?: Commas can be used to set off words that interrupt. For example: Jane, on the other hand, has always wanted to try synchronized swimming. Write four sentences that use commas in this way.

1. I’m Basically Positive:  In your writing, strive for accuracy, but don’t qualify every other assertion with words like rather, mostly, little, extremely, really, and so on.  Rewrite the following paragraph, removing all qualifiers:  Although almost everyone should be allowed to eat pretty much whatever he or she wants, I basically draw the line at eating pesto for breakfast.  My little brother completely refuses to eat anything even slightly normal in the morning:  he fully insists on eating pasta with pesto.  My mother doesn’t really care, but I usually get really annoyed by it.

2. Then I Said, Like, What?:  Create a dialogue between the two ditziest people you can imagine, such as Bambi and Biff.  Each character should speak at least ten times.

1. Amanda Destroyed His Treehouse:  Altering a word or two can completely change the meaning of a sentence.  Rewrite the sentence below six times, each time changing two words.  An example has been included for you.  Serge opened his birthday present.  Serge opened his cellar door.

2. A Lot of Parrot Paraphernalia:  Believe it or not, the word alot does not exist.  It is a made-up word that is never grammatically correct.  Always use the phrase a lot instead.  To ensure that you never, ever forget this rule, write four sentences using a lot.  Write one about parrots, one about free speech, one about bicycles, and one about Antigone.

1. What would you like to be famous for?

2. Unit outline questions for Antigone

1. In My Humble Opinion, Your Facts Are Wrong:  Fact refers to something that can be proven true, while opinion refers to something a person believes or perceives.  Think about the last movie you saw.  Write three factual sentences about the movie.  Then write three sentences that describe your opinions about the movie.  If you were writing about Old School, for example, two of your sentences might read:  Fact:  Many people really loved the movie Old School.  Opinion:  I consider Old School one of the stupidest, most offensive movies ever mad.

2. A Seat From Fenway, Elvis's Guitar:  If you had all the money in the world and you could own any one piece of memorabilia, what would you choose?  Answer this question by writing a paragraph that has a topic sentence and at least four supporting sentences.

1. myspace.com article responses

1. If I Could've Gone to Harvard...:  Could've is the contraction of could have.  People sometimes write could of when they mean could've or could have.  Unfortunately, could of is an imaginary phrase.  Never use it.  To memorize this rule, write four sentences using could have.  Write one about rhinestones, one about fake nails, one about college, and one about a suitcase.

2. Always Use Transitions:  Transitions are the sentences or words that aid readers in following the flow of your argument or point.  Transitions can be used to :  show contrast:  Katie eats popcorn after school.  In contrast, Brian eats cereal. elaborate:  I love shopping for movies at Cat's.  In addition, I try to find the soundtracks for my favorite movies on CD while I'm there.  provide an example: You can get many useful items at that store.  For example, Patrick recently picked up a lava lamp and a bobblehead doll.  show results:  Manny ingested nothing but Red Bull and burgers every day for a month.  As a result, he gained ten pounds.  show sequence: The police arrested Bob at the party.  Soon after, Harvard rescinded Bob's acceptance, and eventually, Bob drifted into a life of flipping burgers.  Come up with five sentences of your own, each one of which uses one of the kinds of transitions explained above.

3. Unit Outline questions for Metamorphoses

1. Lobster, Caviar,Cheesecake: If you were choosing the menu for your last meal, what would it include? Write DETAILED descriptions of each item on the menu.

2. May I, Kind Sir, Interrupt?: Commas can be used to set off words that interrupt. For example: Jane, on the other hand, has always wanted to try synchronized swimming. Write four sentences that use commas in this way.

1. Freewrite about your break. (5 min.)

1. Slurp, Crack, Lull:  Onomatopoeia!  Read the following sentences:  When Emily opened her soda, the sound was so loud that it woke her baby sister, who began to cry.  Startled, Emily dropped her soda, which made a noise when it hit the floor.  A few onomatopoeic words can spice up that boring paragraph.  So spice it up.

2. Shines Like the Sun:  Imagine that you are the very poetic head of a cleaning crew.  Create a list of the ten things the crew must do, using similes and metaphors to describe each item (Clean the kitchen floor until it sparkles like diamonds, for example.)

1. I’m Basically Positive:  In your writing, strive for accuracy, but don’t qualify every other assertion with words like rather, mostly, little, extremely, really, and so on.  Rewrite the following paragraph, removing all qualifiers:  Although almost everyone should be allowed to eat pretty much whatever he or she wants, I basically draw the line at eating pesto for breakfast.  My little brother completely refuses to eat anything even slightly normal in the morning:  he fully insists on eating pasta with pesto.  My mother doesn’t really care, but I usually get really annoyed by it.

2. Then I Said, Like, What?:  Create a dialogue between the two ditziest people you can imagine, such as Bambi and Biff.  Each character should speak at least ten times.

3. Chapter Notes for chpts. 13-16.

1. Amanda Destroyed His Treehouse:  Altering a word or two can completely change the meaning of a sentence.  Rewrite the sentence below six times, each time changing two words.  An example has been included for you.  Serge opened his birthday present.  Serge opened his cellar door.

2. A Lot of Parrot Paraphernalia:  Believe it or not, the word alot does not exist.  It is a made-up word that is never grammatically correct.  Always use the phrase a lot instead.  To ensure that you never, ever forget this rule, write four sentences using a lot.  Write one about parrots, one about free speech, one about bicycles, and one about Antigone.

1. In My Humble Opinion, Your Facts Are Wrong:  Fact refers to something that can be proven true, while opinion refers to something a person believes or perceives.  Think about the last movie you saw.  Write three factual sentences about the movie.  Then write three sentences that describe your opinions about the movie.  If you were writing about Old School, for example, two of your sentences might read:  Fact:  Many people really loved the movie Old School.  Opinion:  I consider Old School one of the stupidest, most offensive movies ever mad.

2. A Seat From Fenway, Elvis's Guitar:  If you had all the money in the world and you could own any one piece of memorabilia, what would you choose?  Answer this question by writing a paragraph that has a topic sentence and at least four supporting sentences.

1. myspace.com article responses

1. If I Could've Gone to Harvard...:  Could've is the contraction of could have.  People sometimes write could of when they mean could've or could have.  Unfortunately, could of is an imaginary phrase.  Never use it.  To memorize this rule, write four sentences using could have.  Write one about rhinestones, one about fake nails, one about college, and one about a suitcase.

2. Always Use Transitions:  Transitions are the sentences or words that aid readers in following the flow of your argument or point.  Transitions can be used to :  show contrast:  Katie eats popcorn after school.  In contrast, Brian eats cereal. elaborate:  I love shopping for movies at Cat's.  In addition, I try to find the soundtracks for my favorite movies on CD while I'm there.  provide an example: You can get many useful items at that store.  For example, Patrick recently picked up a lava lamp and a bobblehead doll.  show results:  Manny ingested nothing but Red Bull and burgers every day for a month.  As a result, he gained ten pounds.  show sequence: The police arrested Bob at the party.  Soon after, Harvard rescinded Bob's acceptance, and eventually, Bob drifted into a life of flipping burgers.  Come up with five sentences of your own, each one of which uses one of the kinds of transitions explained above.

1. Lobster, Caviar,Cheesecake: If you were choosing the menu for your last meal, what would it include? Write DETAILED descriptions of each item on the menu.

2. May I, Kind Sir, Interrupt?: Commas can be used to set off words that interrupt. For example: Jane, on the other hand, has always wanted to try synchronized swimming. Write four sentences that use commas in this way.

1. Freewrite about your break. (5 min.)

2. question #1 from Collection 2 outline

1. Questions 2-5 from Collection 2 outline

2. Slurp, Crack, Lull:  Onomatopoeia!  Read the following sentences:  When Emily opened her soda, the sound was so loud that it woke her baby sister, who began to cry.  Startled, Emily dropped her soda, which made a noise when it hit the floor.  A few onomatopoeic words can spice up that boring paragraph.  So spice it up.

3. Shines Like the Sun:  Imagine that you are the very poetic head of a cleaning crew.  Create a list of the ten things the crew must do, using similes and metaphors to describe each item (Clean the kitchen floor until it sparkles like diamonds, for example.)

1. Questions 6-7 from Unit outline
2. Who is or was your role model or hero?  Describe them and explain why you look up to them.

1. Freewrite about your break. (5 min.)

2. question #1 from Collection 2 outline

1. Questions 2-5 from Collection 2 outline

2. Slurp, Crack, Lull:  Onomatopoeia!  Read the following sentences:  When Emily opened her soda, the sound was so loud that it woke her baby sister, who began to cry.  Startled, Emily dropped her soda, which made a noise when it hit the floor.  A few onomatopoeic words can spice up that boring paragraph.  So spice it up.

3. Shines Like the Sun:  Imagine that you are the very poetic head of a cleaning crew.  Create a list of the ten things the crew must do, using similes and metaphors to describe each item (Clean the kitchen floor until it sparkles like diamonds, for example.)

1. Questions 6-7 from outline
2. If you could have one super power like a super hero, what would it be and why?

1. Freewrite about your break. (5 min.)

2. question #1 from Collection 2 outline

1. Questions 2-5 from Collection 2 outline

2. Slurp, Crack, Lull:  Onomatopoeia!  Read the following sentences:  When Emily opened her soda, the sound was so loud that it woke her baby sister, who began to cry.  Startled, Emily dropped her soda, which made a noise when it hit the floor.  A few onomatopoeic words can spice up that boring paragraph.  So spice it up.

3. Shines Like the Sun:  Imagine that you are the very poetic head of a cleaning crew.  Create a list of the ten things the crew must do, using similes and metaphors to describe each item (Clean the kitchen floor until it sparkles like diamonds, for example.)

1. Questions 6-7 from outline
2. If you could be on stage with your favorite performer, who would you choose and why?  Where would the performance be and why?

1. "Boy Hires Hitman to Kill His Parents for Taking Away His Playstation" response
2. "Girl Gets Suspension for Hugging Friends at School" response
3. "Hannibal Crosses the Alps" outline questions

1. Fear and Unhappiness: In literature, dystopias are unhappy societies where people live in fear. The world described in George Orwell’s 1984 is a classic dystopia. Come up with a fictional dystopia of your own and write a few paragraphs describing it. What makes it so terrible? What are its inhabitants scared of? What is every day life like?
2. Frantically, Hopefully: See how many adverbs (words like rapidly, happily, and excitedly) you can come up with to modify the verb wrote in the following sentence. Include twenty to twenty-five adverbs in your list.
   Lucy ______________ wrote her research paper in twenty minutes.
3. Burning of Rome outline questions

1. Algebra vs. Gym:  In the context of writing, the word compare means "to discuss similarities between two or more things."  between two or more things."  Contrast means "to discuss differences between two or more things."  Write TWO paragraphs comparing and contrasting your two favorite classes.  In the first paragraph, discuss the similarities between the two classes; in the second, discuss the differences between them.
2. A Matter of Idiom:  Certain rules of writing are just a matter or idiom--that is, they're only rules because of convention.  Most uses of prepositions are matters of idiom.  For example, we say, "I live on Oak Street," instead of, " I live in Oak Street."  Write the following sentences below in your daybooks with the correct preposition:  1.  He can't abide __________ the new Latin requirement.  2.  I apologized ___ losing the hamsters in the heating vent.  3.  I arrived _______ work three hours late.  4.  He's in charge ________ making the reservation.  5.  The puree consists _______ cream, egg, and garlic.  6.  It's terrible to discriminate __________ parakeets.  7.  It's impossible to object ________ her lucid arguments.  8.  I succeeded _____ losing the hideous necklace.

1. Trucker Hats and Flip Flops:  Fashion critics attend fashion shows and write reports on them for newspapers and magazines.  Choose one of the latest fashion trends at your school, and write a few paragraphs about it as if you are a fashion critic.  Describe the trend, put it in context (how is it different from last year's trend?), and give your opinion about it.
2. Icy Hot Oxymorons:  An oxymoron is the association of two contrary terms, such as jumbo shrimp or same difference.  Write a paragraph in which you use as many oxymoronic expressions as possible (at least five).

1. The Mysterious Egg:  Use the following sentences to as the beginning of a short story:  Eve stared down at the egg in her hand.  There was no other choice:  she had to call F. B. I. headquarters.  Your short story can be serious or funny.
2. Fog Obscured the Old Mansion:  A story's setting often determines the mood of the story.  If the writer describes the setting well, it can make the story more believable and interesting.  Where have you set your mystery story?  In two paragraphs, describe the setting in detail.

Choose the answer below that you agree with and write minimum of a two paragraph response explaining your choice and views on the subject:

1. No. Government has gone entirely too far and is encroaching on parental rights.
2. No. Even if you don't agree with corporal punishment, parents should have the right to spank.
3. Yes. Corporal punishment is no way to discipline children and only hurts them.
4. Yes. This will prevent incidents of child abuse.
5. Other

1. Dashing, Leaping, Grasping:  Verbs are the backbone of sentences.  Think about one of your favorite activities--shopping, eating junk food, reading riding a unicycle--and make a list of all the verbs that relate to it.  If drinking hot chocolate is your favorite activity, your list might include sipping, mixing stirring, heating, slurping, boiling, spilling, and so on.  Your list should include at least fifteen verbs.

1. "Boy Hires Hitman to Kill His Parents for Taking Away His Playstation" response
2. "Girl Gets Suspension for Hugging Friends at School" response
3. "Hannibal Crosses the Alps" outline questions

1. Fear and Unhappiness: In literature, dystopias are unhappy societies where people live in fear. The world described in George Orwell’s 1984 is a classic dystopia. Come up with a fictional dystopia of your own and write a few paragraphs describing it. What makes it so terrible? What are its inhabitants scared of? What is every day life like?
2. Frantically, Hopefully: See how many adverbs (words like rapidly, happily, and excitedly) you can come up with to modify the verb wrote in the following sentence. Include twenty to twenty-five adverbs in your list.
   Lucy ______________ wrote her research paper in twenty minutes.
3. Burning of Rome outline questions

1. Algebra vs. Gym:  In the context of writing, the word compare means "to discuss similarities between two or more things."  between two or more things."  Contrast means "to discuss differences between two or more things."  Write TWO paragraphs comparing and contrasting your two favorite classes.  In the first paragraph, discuss the similarities between the two classes; in the second, discuss the differences between them.
2. A Matter of Idiom:  Certain rules of writing are just a matter or idiom--that is, they're only rules because of convention.  Most uses of prepositions are matters of idiom.  For example, we say, "I live on Oak Street," instead of, " I live in Oak Street."  Write the following sentences below in your daybooks with the correct preposition:  1.  He can't abide __________ the new Latin requirement.  2.  I apologized ___ losing the hamsters in the heating vent.  3.  I arrived _______ work three hours late.  4.  He's in charge ________ making the reservation.  5.  The puree consists _______ cream, egg, and garlic.  6.  It's terrible to discriminate __________ parakeets.  7.  It's impossible to object ________ her lucid arguments.  8.  I succeeded _____ losing the hideous necklace.

1. Trucker Hats and Flip Flops:  Fashion critics attend fashion shows and write reports on them for newspapers and magazines.  Choose one of the latest fashion trends at your school, and write a few paragraphs about it as if you are a fashion critic.  Describe the trend, put it in context (how is it different from last year's trend?), and give your opinion about it.
2. Icy Hot Oxymorons:  An oxymoron is the association of two contrary terms, such as jumbo shrimp or same difference.  Write a paragraph in which you use as many oxymoronic expressions as possible (at least five).

1. The Mysterious Egg:  Use the following sentences to as the beginning of a short story:  Eve stared down at the egg in her hand.  There was no other choice:  she had to call F. B. I. headquarters.  Your short story can be serious or funny.
2. Fog Obscured the Old Mansion:  A story's setting often determines the mood of the story.  If the writer describes the setting well, it can make the story more believable and interesting.  Where have you set your mystery story?  In two paragraphs, describe the setting in detail.

Choose the answer below that you agree with and write minimum of a two paragraph response explaining your choice and views on the subject:

1. No. Government has gone entirely too far and is encroaching on parental rights.
2. No. Even if you don't agree with corporal punishment, parents should have the right to spank.
3. Yes. Corporal punishment is no way to discipline children and only hurts them.
4. Yes. This will prevent incidents of child abuse.
5. Other

1. Dashing, Leaping, Grasping:  Verbs are the backbone of sentences.  Think about one of your favorite activities--shopping, eating junk food, reading riding a unicycle--and make a list of all the verbs that relate to it.  If drinking hot chocolate is your favorite activity, your list might include sipping, mixing stirring, heating, slurping, boiling, spilling, and so on.  Your list should include at least fifteen verbs.

1. "Boy Hires Hitman to Kill His Parents for Taking Away His Playstation" response
2. "Girl Gets Suspension for Hugging Friends at School" response
3. "Hannibal Crosses the Alps" outline questions

1. Fear and Unhappiness: In literature, dystopias are unhappy societies where people live in fear. The world described in George Orwell’s 1984 is a classic dystopia. Come up with a fictional dystopia of your own and write a few paragraphs describing it. What makes it so terrible? What are its inhabitants scared of? What is every day life like?
2. Frantically, Hopefully: See how many adverbs (words like rapidly, happily, and excitedly) you can come up with to modify the verb wrote in the following sentence. Include twenty to twenty-five adverbs in your list.
   Lucy ______________ wrote her research paper in twenty minutes.
3. Burning of Rome outline questions

1. Algebra vs. Gym:  In the context of writing, the word compare means "to discuss similarities between two or more things."  between two or more things."  Contrast means "to discuss differences between two or more things."  Write TWO paragraphs comparing and contrasting your two favorite classes.  In the first paragraph, discuss the similarities between the two classes; in the second, discuss the differences between them.
2. A Matter of Idiom:  Certain rules of writing are just a matter or idiom--that is, they're only rules because of convention.  Most uses of prepositions are matters of idiom.  For example, we say, "I live on Oak Street," instead of, " I live in Oak Street."  Write the following sentences below in your daybooks with the correct preposition:  1.  He can't abide __________ the new Latin requirement.  2.  I apologized ___ losing the hamsters in the heating vent.  3.  I arrived _______ work three hours late.  4.  He's in charge ________ making the reservation.  5.  The puree consists _______ cream, egg, and garlic.  6.  It's terrible to discriminate __________ parakeets.  7.  It's impossible to object ________ her lucid arguments.  8.  I succeeded _____ losing the hideous necklace.

1. Trucker Hats and Flip Flops:  Fashion critics attend fashion shows and write reports on them for newspapers and magazines.  Choose one of the latest fashion trends at your school, and write a few paragraphs about it as if you are a fashion critic.  Describe the trend, put it in context (how is it different from last year's trend?), and give your opinion about it.
2. Icy Hot Oxymorons:  An oxymoron is the association of two contrary terms, such as jumbo shrimp or same difference.  Write a paragraph in which you use as many oxymoronic expressions as possible (at least five).

1. The Mysterious Egg:  Use the following sentences to as the beginning of a short story:  Eve stared down at the egg in her hand.  There was no other choice:  she had to call F. B. I. headquarters.  Your short story can be serious or funny.
2. Fog Obscured the Old Mansion:  A story's setting often determines the mood of the story.  If the writer describes the setting well, it can make the story more believable and interesting.  Where have you set your mystery story?  In two paragraphs, describe the setting in detail.

Choose the answer below that you agree with and write minimum of a two paragraph response explaining your choice and views on the subject:

1. No. Government has gone entirely too far and is encroaching on parental rights.
2. No. Even if you don't agree with corporal punishment, parents should have the right to spank.
3. Yes. Corporal punishment is no way to discipline children and only hurts them.
4. Yes. This will prevent incidents of child abuse.
5. Other

1. Dashing, Leaping, Grasping:  Verbs are the backbone of sentences.  Think about one of your favorite activities--shopping, eating junk food, reading riding a unicycle--and make a list of all the verbs that relate to it.  If drinking hot chocolate is your favorite activity, your list might include sipping, mixing stirring, heating, slurping, boiling, spilling, and so on.  Your list should include at least fifteen verbs.

1. "Boy Hires Hitman to Kill His Parents for Taking Away His Playstation" response
2. "Girl Gets Suspension for Hugging Friends at School" response

1. Fear and Unhappiness: In literature, dystopias are unhappy societies where people live in fear. The world described in George Orwell’s 1984 is a classic dystopia. Come up with a fictional dystopia of your own and write a few paragraphs describing it. What makes it so terrible? What are its inhabitants scared of? What is every day life like?
2. Frantically, Hopefully: See how many adverbs (words like rapidly, happily, and excitedly) you can come up with to modify the verb wrote in the following sentence. Include twenty to twenty-five adverbs in your list.
   Lucy ______________ wrote her research paper in twenty minutes.

1. Trucker Hats and Flip Flops:  Fashion critics attend fashion shows and write reports on them for newspapers and magazines.  Choose one of the latest fashion trends at your school, and write a few paragraphs about it as if you are a fashion critic.  Describe the trend, put it in context (how is it different from last year's trend?), and give your opinion about it.
2. Icy Hot Oxymorons:  An oxymoron is the association of two contrary terms, such as jumbo shrimp or same difference.  Write a paragraph in which you use as many oxymoronic expressions as possible (at least five).

Choose the answer below that you agree with and write minimum of a two paragraph response explaining your choice and views on the subject:

1. No. Government has gone entirely too far and is encroaching on parental rights.
2. No. Even if you don't agree with corporal punishment, parents should have the right to spank.
3. Yes. Corporal punishment is no way to discipline children and only hurts them.
4. Yes. This will prevent incidents of child abuse.
5. Other

1. The Mysterious Egg:  Use the following sentences to as the beginning of a short story:  Eve stared down at the egg in her hand.  There was no other choice:  she had to call F. B. I. headquarters.  Your short story can be serious or funny.
2. Fog Obscured the Old Mansion:  A story's setting often determines the mood of the story.  If the writer describes the setting well, it can make the story more believable and interesting.  Where have you set your mystery story?  In two paragraphs, describe the setting in detail.

1. Dashing, Leaping, Grasping:  Verbs are the backbone of sentences.  Think about one of your favorite activities--shopping, eating junk food, reading riding a unicycle--and make a list of all the verbs that relate to it.  If drinking hot chocolate is your favorite activity, your list might include sipping, mixing stirring, heating, slurping, boiling, spilling, and so on.  Your list should include at least fifteen verbs.

What is the hardest challenge you have faced in your life?  Explain.

four paragraph letter to your letter pal concerning the video and internet scavenger hunt

What do you wish were different about your educational career?  Explain.

four paragraph letter to your letter pal concerning the video and internet scavenger hunt

Who is your favorite teacher?  What are three qualities he/she has?

four paragraph letter to your letter pal concerning the video and internet scavenger hunt

What is the most outstanding moment to occur during your lifetime?

1. Response to Louvre exhibit

2. Description of art you liked and why you liked it.

3. Description of are you dislike and why.

4. Explanation of how both pieces would be considered art.

What is the motto that you've lived your life by?

Freewrite for ten minutes

1. Response to article titled "Parents Ire Grows Over Pedophile's Blog"

2. Unit Outline questions for "In the Beginning"

1. I Would Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner: The conditional is the verb form we use to describe something uncertain, something that is conditional upon something else.  You can memorize the conditional formula; it goes "If...were...would."  Look at this sentence:  If I was queen, I would never have to study for a standardized test.  Was may sound right when you first read thise sentence, but when in doubt, remember the formula.  Was violates the formula.  The sentence should read, If I were queen, I would never have to study for a standardized test.  Write five sentences that use the conditional correctly.

2. Slippery Syllables:  Onomatopoeia refers to words that sound like their meaning.  For instance, fizz sounds fizzy, and languid sounds lazy and relaxed.  Try to come up with ten onomatopoeic words on your own and then use them in a short poem or paragraph describing a normal every day event.

3. Unit Outline questions for "The Book of Ruth"

Unit Outline questions for "Noah and the Flood

Unit Outline question for the "Psalms"

1. If you could have a private concert by any performer, whom would you choose and why?

2. Unit Outline questions for "The Prodigal Son" and "The Talents"

1. Bouncing Off the Wall, Betsy Caught the Ball:  When clauses modify the wrong word, confusion results.  Observe the following misplaced modifier: Running down the stairs, the phone fell from Melissa's hand.  Melissa was the one running down the stairs, but according to the sentence, the phone was doing the running.  The sentence should read:  Running down the stairs, Melissa dropped the phone.  Rewrite the following sentences to eliminate the dangling and misplaced modifiers:  1.  Falling out of his chair and onto the floor, the tailbone cracked.  2.  As she jumped over the fence, my grandma looked up just in time to see the dog escaping from the yard.  3.  Smelling like sweaty shoes, Estefan found the socks in his gym bag.

2. Then I Took a Pretzel and...:  Imagine that you fell down a mine shaft with nothing more than a pair of extra socks, some dental floss, a mini flashlight, a bag of  pretzels, and a set of keys.  You managed to survive for two days and then freed yourself.  In three to five paragraphs, tell the story of how you escaped.  Try to create a suspenseful mood for your story.

1. Response to article titled "Parents Ire Grows Over Pedophile's Blog"

2. Unit Outline questions for "In the Beginning"

1. I Would Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner: The conditional is the verb form we use to describe something uncertain, something that is conditional upon something else.  You can memorize the conditional formula; it goes "If...were...would."  Look at this sentence:  If I was queen, I would never have to study for a standardized test.  Was may sound right when you first read thise sentence, but when in doubt, remember the formula.  Was violates the formula.  The sentence should read, If I were queen, I would never have to study for a standardized test.  Write five sentences that use the conditional correctly.

2. Slippery Syllables:  Onomatopoeia refers to words that sound like their meaning.  For instance, fizz sounds fizzy, and languid sounds lazy and relaxed.  Try to come up with ten onomatopoeic words on your own and then use them in a short poem or paragraph describing a normal every day event.

3. Unit Outline questions for "The Book of Ruth"

Unit Outline questions for "Noah and the Flood

Unit Outline question for the "Psalms"

1. Unit Outline questions for "The Prodigal Son" and "The Talents"

1. Bouncing Off the Wall, Betsy Caught the Ball:  When clauses modify the wrong word, confusion results.  Observe the following misplaced modifier: Running down the stairs, the phone fell from Melissa's hand.  Melissa was the one running down the stairs, but according to the sentence, the phone was doing the running.  The sentence should read:  Running down the stairs, Melissa dropped the phone.  Rewrite the following sentences to eliminate the dangling and misplaced modifiers:  1.  Falling out of his chair and onto the floor, the tailbone cracked.  2.  As she jumped over the fence, my grandma looked up just in time to see the dog escaping from the yard.  3.  Smelling like sweaty shoes, Estefan found the socks in his gym bag.

2. Then I Took a Pretzel and...:  Imagine that you fell down a mine shaft with nothing more than a pair of extra socks, some dental floss, a mini flashlight, a bag of  pretzels, and a set of keys.  You managed to survive for two days and then freed yourself.  In three to five paragraphs, tell the story of how you escaped.  Try to create a suspenseful mood for your story.

1. Response to article titled "Parents Ire Grows Over Pedophile's Blog"

2. Unit Outline questions for "In the Beginning"

1. I Would Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner: The conditional is the verb form we use to describe something uncertain, something that is conditional upon something else.  You can memorize the conditional formula; it goes "If...were...would."  Look at this sentence:  If I was queen, I would never have to study for a standardized test.  Was may sound right when you first read thise sentence, but when in doubt, remember the formula.  Was violates the formula.  The sentence should read, If I were queen, I would never have to study for a standardized test.  Write five sentences that use the conditional correctly.

2. Slippery Syllables:  Onomatopoeia refers to words that sound like their meaning.  For instance, fizz sounds fizzy, and languid sounds lazy and relaxed.  Try to come up with ten onomatopoeic words on your own and then use them in a short poem or paragraph describing a normal every day event.

3. Unit Outline questions for "The Book of Ruth"

Unit Outline questions for "Noah and the Flood

Unit Outline question for the "Psalms"

1. Unit Outline questions for "The Prodigal Son" and "The Talents"

1. Bouncing Off the Wall, Betsy Caught the Ball:  When clauses modify the wrong word, confusion results.  Observe the following misplaced modifier: Running down the stairs, the phone fell from Melissa's hand.  Melissa was the one running down the stairs, but according to the sentence, the phone was doing the running.  The sentence should read:  Running down the stairs, Melissa dropped the phone.  Rewrite the following sentences to eliminate the dangling and misplaced modifiers:  1.  Falling out of his chair and onto the floor, the tailbone cracked.  2.  As she jumped over the fence, my grandma looked up just in time to see the dog escaping from the yard.  3.  Smelling like sweaty shoes, Estefan found the socks in his gym bag.

2. Then I Took a Pretzel and...:  Imagine that you fell down a mine shaft with nothing more than a pair of extra socks, some dental floss, a mini flashlight, a bag of  pretzels, and a set of keys.  You managed to survive for two days and then freed yourself.  In three to five paragraphs, tell the story of how you escaped.  Try to create a suspenseful mood for your story.

Response to article titled "Parents Ire Grows Over Pedophile's Blog"

1. I Would Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner: The conditional is the verb form we use to describe something uncertain, something that is conditional upon something else.  You can memorize the conditional formula; it goes "If...were...would."  Look at this sentence:  If I was queen, I would never have to study for a standardized test.  Was may sound right when you first read thise sentence, but when in doubt, remember the formula.  Was violates the formula.  The sentence should read, If I were queen, I would never have to study for a standardized test.  Write five sentences that use the conditional correctly.

2. Slippery Syllables:  Onomatopoeia refers to words that sound like their meaning.  For instance, fizz sounds fizzy, and languid sounds lazy and relaxed.  Try to come up with ten onomatopoeic words on your own and then use them in a short poem or paragraph describing a normal every day event.

Rate the novel The Three Musketeers.

1. Bouncing Off the Wall, Betsy Caught the Ball:  When clauses modify the wrong word, confusion results.  Observe the following misplaced modifier: Running down the stairs, the phone fell from Melissa's hand.  Melissa was the one running down the stairs, but according to the sentence, the phone was doing the running.  The sentence should read:  Running down the stairs, Melissa dropped the phone.  Rewrite the following sentences to eliminate the dangling and misplaced modifiers:  1.  Falling out of his chair and onto the floor, the tailbone cracked.  2.  As she jumped over the fence, my grandma looked up just in time to see the dog escaping from the yard.  3.  Smelling like sweaty shoes, Estefan found the socks in his gym bag.

2. Then I Took a Pretzel and...:  Imagine that you fell down a mine shaft with nothing more than a pair of extra socks, some dental floss, a mini flashlight, a bag of  pretzels, and a set of keys.  You managed to survive for two days and then freed yourself.  In three to five paragraphs, tell the story of how you escaped.  Try to create a suspenseful mood for your story.

1. You're Not Supposed to Say That:  When we're talking, we say suppose to instead of the grammatically correct supposed to; but suppose to is a made-up phrase.  To burn this rule into your brain write four sentences that use supposed to.  Write one sentence about pit bulls, one sentence about principals, one sentence about music, and one sentence about pears.
2. Mean as a Snake:  Similes and metaphors are two ways of making comparisons.  Similes compare things using the words like, as, or than (Angela is as sly as a fox).  Metaphors do not use like, as, or than; they imply that one thing "is" another (All the world's a stage).  Write a paragraph that contains three similes and two metaphors.

1. Response to the China security cameras and PDA article
2. Response to the suicide caused by the NBC show "To Catch A Predator"
3. Unit outline questions for the Ancient Middle East

1. Poison Pamphlets:  In the old days, feuding writers wrote pamphlets attacking each other’s ideas.  These pamphlets were inexpensive and quick to produce.  The pamphlet form has been reborn in recent days with the advent of email and blogs.  Have you ever attacked someone’s ideas online?  Write about what happened.  If you’ve never done that, write about the ideas you’d like to attack and why.
2. Beanie, Spiked, Slyly:  Quick, name the eight parts of speech!  Write two sentences.  Between the two of them, use every single part of speech.
3. Unit Outline questions for "New Kingdom Love Lyrics"

1. You're Not Supposed to Say That:  When we're talking, we say suppose to instead of the grammatically correct supposed to; but suppose to is a made-up phrase.  To burn this rule into your brain write four sentences that use supposed to.  Write one sentence about pit bulls, one sentence about principals, one sentence about music, and one sentence about pears.
2. Mean as a Snake:  Similes and metaphors are two ways of making comparisons.  Similes compare things using the words like, as, or than (Angela is as sly as a fox).  Metaphors do not use like, as, or than; they imply that one thing "is" another (All the world's a stage).  Write a paragraph that contains three similes and two metaphors.

1. Response to the China security cameras and PDA article
2. Response to the suicide caused by the NBC show "To Catch A Predator"
3. Unit Outline questions for the Ancient Middle East

1. Poison Pamphlets:  In the old days, feuding writers wrote pamphlets attacking each other’s ideas.  These pamphlets were inexpensive and quick to produce.  The pamphlet form has been reborn in recent days with the advent of email and blogs.  Have you ever attacked someone’s ideas online?  Write about what happened.  If you’ve never done that, write about the ideas you’d like to attack and why.
2. Beanie, Spiked, Slyly:  Quick, name the eight parts of speech!  Write two sentences.  Between the two of them, use every single part of speech.
3. Unit Outline questions for "New Kingdom Love Lyrics"

1. You're Not Supposed to Say That:  When we're talking, we say suppose to instead of the grammatically correct supposed to; but suppose to is a made-up phrase.  To burn this rule into your brain write four sentences that use supposed to.  Write one sentence about pit bulls, one sentence about principals, one sentence about music, and one sentence about pears.
2. Mean as a Snake:  Similes and metaphors are two ways of making comparisons.  Similes compare things using the words like, as, or than (Angela is as sly as a fox).  Metaphors do not use like, as, or than; they imply that one thing "is" another (All the world's a stage).  Write a paragraph that contains three similes and two metaphors.

1. Response to the China security cameras and PDA article
2. Response to the suicide caused by the NBC show "To Catch A Predator"
3. Unit Outline questions for the Ancient Middle East

1. Poison Pamphlets:  In the old days, feuding writers wrote pamphlets attacking each other’s ideas.  These pamphlets were inexpensive and quick to produce.  The pamphlet form has been reborn in recent days with the advent of email and blogs.  Have you ever at