Bell-Ringer1/8/14 Copy the following information in your journal / English notebook. Class Expectations: 1.All students will participate to the best of their ability and come to class prepared. 2.Students must ask to go to the restroom before the bell rings. (If they ask during class, they must serve a 10 minute detention the following morning or be written a white card.) 3.Students will respect the classroom environment by not bringing food or drink into the room. Classroom Rules: Write 3 rules you want us all to follow in this class. (State them positively. What should we do instead of what shouldn’t we do.) Personal Goals: Write 1 goal you have for this class and 1 goal you have for your entire school semester. 1.English Class – 2.2 nd Semester –

Bell-Ringer1/9/14 List 3 alternative words for each. Thing 1) 2)3) Good1) 2)3) Pretty1) 2)3) A lot1) 2)3) Fun1) 2)3) Scary1) 2)3) Generic Writing: Brainstorm alternative words for our dead words.

“Hairs” from The House on Mango Street Everybody in our family has different hair. My Papa’s hair is like a broom, all up in the air. And me, my hair is lazy. It never obeys barrettes or bands. Carlos’ is thick and straight. He doesn’t need to comb it. Nenny’s hair is slippery—slides out of your hand. And Kiki, who is the youngest, has hair like fur. But my mother’s hair, my mother’s hair, like little rosettes, like little candy circles all curly and pretty because she pinned it in pincurls all day, sweet to put your nose into when she is holding you, holding you and you feel safe, is the warm smell of bread before you bake it, is the smell when she makes room for you on her side of the bed still warm with her skin, and you sleep near her, the rain outside falling and Papa snoring. The snoring, the rain, and Mama’s hair that smells like bread. Response: Describe what you believe to be the personality of each member of the family (including the speaker).

Bell-Ringer1/10/14 1. Copy the following example of a revision using more descriptive language. Original: It was kind of dark. Revision: The sun barely peeks through the curtain, making the empty living room dim, not the grim kind of dim, but a serene dim that leads the mind to creativity. 2. Choose 1 of the following sentences to rewrite using descriptive, vivid language. Be Creative! It was a nice day. I had a lot of fun. The flowers were colorful. She is a wonderful person.