Mission: Period 5 scribe

*Mission Impossible theme plays in the background*

“Your mission, should you choose to accept…”

We accepted.

(A sound recording follows)

Hey there Period 5!

I’ve posted our scribe!

(We’ll pretend that really did rhyme and that everyone thought it was terribly clever…even though it wasn’t…)

We started in disorder, as usual…getting our computers, talking to our friends as though we hadn’t seen them in years, even if is was only yesterday, first period, or even lunch since had last seen each other. We calmed down slightly after the bell rang.

Then Ms. Smith went over our homework with us, which happens to be:

Read 1984 pages 117-147 and be prepared to take a quiz and fishbowl tomorrow.

Do the grammar lesson 14: Exercises 12-14. (We’re almost done!!)

We also have to behave ourselves as we have a substitute, Mrs. Ritzdorf is HIGHLY suspected of having that privilege tomorrow.

Now to the important stuff, the actual occurrences of the hour…*drum roll*…REGISTRATION! We received some papers. No, I revise that, a LOT of papers. A general list of what we should have received is:

A yellow card stock paper with mostly charts. On the front is where one fills in their class requests for first semester. DO NOT LOOSE THIS! Do not write below the line above which states in print “DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE.” Just for good measure, I repeat: do not write in the area with the stamped “First Semester.” Get it? Got it? Good!

Attached to that, one should have gotten a piece of paper that has our Graduation Status. To explain some of the terms used, even though most are self-explainable, I have inserted this chart:

Graduation	Requirements	Completed	Courses	Enrolled	In Term	2
What it Looks Like	Course Title	Credits	Course Title	Credits	Course Title	Credits
What it Means	The general name of the subject	The number of credits required to graduate	The official name of the class we have taken	The number of credits earned in S1 for this class above the number possible	The official name of the class we are in	The number of credits possible for S2 in this class
An Example	Language Arts	35.00	English 9: Honors	5.00	English 9: Honors	5.00
TOTAL CREDITS	188.00 total credits are needed to graduate	Total Credits:	The number of credits earned in S1		Total Credits:	The total number of possible credits for S2

Hopefully that helped, somewhat at least. Now back to those numerous pieces of paper that we received…

Also, one should have gotten a single gold paper, which is from the Business Department. It gives a list of ways to prepare for a college degree in business on one side, and on the other side is the list of the required courses (Intro. To Computer Applications or Computer Applications 1.) It then goes on to list all the offered electives, some which are new, like Web Design1 and 2 (which was in fact, merely moved from a different department,) Sports & Entertainment Marketing, and Entrepreneurship.

We also acquired a locker partner request form. It is a portion of a yellow paper. PLEASE remember to PRINT on this.

Furthermore, a “master” schedule course list was handed out. This was apparently done very early in the morning, and some changes may be made. The papers going straight up and down are the courses offered for first semester. When they appear to have acquired an amazing gymnastic ability to flip upside-down, you will know that those are the courses offered second semester.

Probably one of the most important documents we obtained today was the Arapahoe High School: Class of 2010 Worksheet: Sophomore. This is a yellow sheet of paper, which is to help us to figure out what classes we want, an in what hour. Pencil and erasers come in extreme handiness as we, most likely, will not have our schedule figured out perfectly the first time. AND the order will most likely change when we get to the final registration stage.

As we all know some courses are fully required, unfortunately.

English: It is required to take English in both freshmen and sophomore year. As we are all already in Honors English, we would continue in the Honors program, and probably take American Literature Honors. Both regular 10^th grade English and America Lit. are offered, but as far as I can tell, we would generally take the American. Lit. Honors.

History: Next year we are required to take both Cultural Geography (which is 3 credits) and World Civ. (which is also 3 credits.) We cannot take them both in the same semester, so we must plan accordingly.

Math: Four semesters of a math class are required to graduate. However, one must take into consideration that is not necessarily the same for college enrollment requirements.

Science: Again, four semesters are required. For those of you already in Biology and planning to go into Chemistry next year, remember that chem. labs take up two hours, rather than one hour.

Practical Arts: One (about) practical arts class is required to graduate. Both Intro to Computer Applications and Computer Applications (one or the other is required) count as practical arts classes.

Fine Arts: Of the Fine Arts, none are absolutely required.

Physical Education: Both swimming and personal survival courses are required.

Electives: We need 75 total credits to graduate. Of course, this is the minimum, and we can, and probably will, go over this requirement. These classes are any class we take that does not fall within the required classes.

Other important information to know and realize:

The card stock yellow paper, also known as the Semester Course Requests sheet, is due to the Guidance Center BY 2:30p.m. ON TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2007.

One MUST use a #2 pencil (these things are so famous) on the Semester Course Requests sheet.

The e-mail information on that paper is OPTIONAL!!

We must attend the final registration stage on Friday, May 25, 2007, within the appropriate time according to our last names. The specific information is given on the yellow worksheet.

The Semester Course Requests sheet’s tables are set up differently than the worksheet’s tables. Watch out for that!

Most important: if you have any other questions, comments, or concerns, PLEASE see a teacher, or a counselor.

Well there we go. We spent the rest of 10 minutes talking and looking at the courses.

This message will self distrust in 5…4…3…2…

*Mission Impossible music plays*

-Mphair

Michelle Phair

Scribe for Monday April 2, 2007 5th hour

Monday April 2, 2007

We got our grammar tests back. Please see Ms. Smith if you were absent to get your test back.

Today we began 1984 by George Orwell.

Ms. Smith passed out pink sheets that explained her fishbowl expectations for 1984. It is summarized as follows.

Unlike previous fishbowls, this time we are leading the discussion in groups of three on a given day. If you were not here, you were assigned to a group. Each group of three will meet before the fishbowl to discuss the pages that are going to be fishbowled on. During the meeting, Ms. Smith suggested that we look at least one critical analysis of our chapters. The places she suggested to find a critical analysis are Galenet and Ebsco. You can find links to these subscription sites on Arapahoe's website. If you are looking at these from home, you need the passwords. They are available in the library. Ms. Smith has prohibited looking at sparknotes for commentary. She also suggested comparing 1984 to other books you have read, especially Fahrenheit 451.

While they are meeting, each group also needs to come up with an agenda for the fishbowl. The agenda should outline what questions the group intends to ask and where the group intends to lead the discussion. This agenda will be submitted to Ms. Smith before the fishbowl begins. Make sure these questions are higher level questions that provoke discussion. In addition, while they are meeting, each group needs to come up with a quiz for this section. The quiz can be basic plot questions, BUT it must have at least one or two higher level questions covering overlying themes.

After the fishbowl, the group will pass out their quiz. After the class takes the quiz, the group is responsible for taking them home and grading them. They need to be returned to Ms. Smith by the next fishbowl. Additionally, your group needs to create a blog post for discussion after the fishbowl.

We also signed for a day to be a designated discussor for the fishbowl. For those who weren't there, you were assigned a day.

Ms. Smith collected our emails so we could get posting privileges on the blog. The point of getting posting privileges on the blog was so that each day someone could post on the blog about the daily activities. If you are absent, you can check the blog for a report on what we did that day. If you were not here, you were NOT assigned a day to scribe so please talk with Ms. Smith when you get back about getting a day. To see examples of what a daily report looks like go to http://smithewl.blogspot.com.

We also checked out 1984 books. If you still need one, see Ms. Smith.

Important note for anyone who bought his or her own copy of 1984.

If you look on the calendar for 1984, you will notice that we are dividing the book up by pages. Ms. Smith said that the first three chapters is equivalent to the pages 1-37 for anyone whose copy is different.

Lastly, we went to the blog and commented on two posts, blogging expectations and big brother is watching you. On the second post, watch the two videos in order then comment. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO WATCH THEM IN ORDER!

Homework:

Read 1-37 of 1984 for the Fishbowl on Wednesday

1^st fishbowl presenters need to get ready

Semester Project

Bring Grammar Packets tomorrow with 13.1-4 DONE! Be warned two of the exercises require written response.

Blog on the two questions if you have not already done so.

Invite your parents to blog if you have not already done so. Remind them to blog tonight if they want to.

Sorry the post is so long. Happy Monday!

Emily Lutz, Block 5 Scribe