bellwork 8/20/08 many names have special meaning or history. for example, the name hannah means...

Bellwork 8/20/08Bellwork 8/20/08

Many names have special Many names have special meaning or history. For example, meaning or history. For example, the name Hannah means “favor” the name Hannah means “favor” or “grace.” Write about your own or “grace.” Write about your own name. Who named you? What name. Who named you? What does your name mean? Does it does your name mean? Does it have a special ethnic or religious have a special ethnic or religious significance? Are you named after significance? Are you named after someone in your family? If you someone in your family? If you could change your name, would could change your name, would you? What name would you you? What name would you choose instead?choose instead?


In the story we are about to read, a In the story we are about to read, a man wants to redress (set right) the man wants to redress (set right) the wrongs that he feels have been done wrongs that he feels have been done to him. In fact, he wants revenge. to him. In fact, he wants revenge. Think about a time when you have Think about a time when you have felt wronged or unfairly treated. Did felt wronged or unfairly treated. Did you feel like getting even? How did you feel like getting even? How did you actually react? Why?you actually react? Why?

MUG Sentence #1MUG Sentence #1once upon a time in a school once upon a time in a school not so very disparate from not so very disparate from yours a young man named yours a young man named charlie excess led a very dull charlie excess led a very dull one sided lifeone sided life

Bellwork 8/25/08Bellwork 8/25/08If you could meet anyone, If you could meet anyone, alive or dead, who would it alive or dead, who would it be? Consider scientists, be? Consider scientists, entertainers, world leaders, entertainers, world leaders, artists, writers, people in artists, writers, people in your family, and so on. Make your family, and so on. Make a list of questions you’d like a list of questions you’d like to ask this person.to ask this person.

MUG Sentence #2MUG Sentence #2

all day he attended all day he attended horribly hard high school horribly hard high school and all evening his nose and all evening his nose was buried in his bookswas buried in his books


Suppose you will be stranded on a Suppose you will be stranded on a deserted island in the middle of the deserted island in the middle of the

ocean for ten years. You will be ocean for ten years. You will be allowed to bring one each of the allowed to bring one each of the following: book, movie, CD, food following: book, movie, CD, food

item, drink item, piece of clothing, item, drink item, piece of clothing, and one miscellaneous item. List the and one miscellaneous item. List the

one item you would bring in each one item you would bring in each category, and explain why you category, and explain why you

chose it.chose it.

Bellwork 8/29/08Bellwork 8/29/08Describe what you see in the Describe what you see in the

following picture. Use as many following picture. Use as many adjectives as you can! (Think: dark adjectives as you can! (Think: dark

and terrifying rocks)and terrifying rocks)


and charlie was a straight A and charlie was a straight A student who did naught but student who did naught but atend class study and sleepatend class study and sleep


You went hiking with some friends, took off You went hiking with some friends, took off on your own for a while, and got lost. on your own for a while, and got lost.

You’ve wandered around all day looking You’ve wandered around all day looking for your friends, but you can’t find them for your friends, but you can’t find them

anywhere. What is the first thing you do? anywhere. What is the first thing you do? Have you brought food, water, and maps Have you brought food, water, and maps along, or are you the freewheeling type along, or are you the freewheeling type

who just comes as you are? What thoughts who just comes as you are? What thoughts are going through your head? How do you are going through your head? How do you

feel? Write about the situation.feel? Write about the situation.

Bellwork 9/11/08 Bellwork 9/11/08

If you could go anywhere in the If you could go anywhere in the world, at any time in the past or world, at any time in the past or future, where and to what time future, where and to what time would you go? What would you would you go? What would you

want to see, and whom would you want to see, and whom would you want to meet? Explain.want to meet? Explain.


He never attended partys did not He never attended partys did not participate in any sports and doesn’t participate in any sports and doesn’t

know many girls except suzie know many girls except suzie meritorious and he isn’t even sure meritorious and he isn’t even sure

what she looks like since her nose is what she looks like since her nose is always buried in a textbook such as always buried in a textbook such as

The joys of boring english.The joys of boring english.

Bellwork 9/15/08Bellwork 9/15/08In Dr. Seuss’ In Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Horton Hears a

WhoWho, Horton the elephant , Horton the elephant discovers a tiny planet of living discovers a tiny planet of living

beings on a speck of dust. beings on a speck of dust. Other animals urge Horton to Other animals urge Horton to

throw away the dust speck, not throw away the dust speck, not believing that such a tiny world believing that such a tiny world could exist, but Horton refuses. could exist, but Horton refuses. The book ends with this moral:The book ends with this moral:

““A person is a person, no A person is a person, no matter how small.”matter how small.”

Write about a current situation Write about a current situation in the world that you think in the world that you think

illustrates the idea that even illustrates the idea that even seemingly inconsequential seemingly inconsequential

people are important. people are important.

Bellwork 9/18/08Bellwork 9/18/08““Whenever you feel like criticizing Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the anyone, just remember that all the

people in this world haven’t had the people in this world haven’t had the advantages you’ve had.”advantages you’ve had.” F. Scott F. Scott

FitzgeraldFitzgeraldIt’s easy to criticize people that you do It’s easy to criticize people that you do

not know or understand. Do you feel that not know or understand. Do you feel that you’re fair to other people, especially you’re fair to other people, especially those you don’t know very well, or do those you don’t know very well, or do

you criticize too much? Write about your you criticize too much? Write about your tendency to be critical or fair.tendency to be critical or fair.

Bellwork 9/26/08Bellwork 9/26/08““The Euphio Question” is a story about an The Euphio Question” is a story about an

imaginary scientific discovery. The imaginary scientific discovery. The discovery helps people to forget their discovery helps people to forget their problems and escape from reality. In real problems and escape from reality. In real life, people have many ways of escaping life, people have many ways of escaping from reality and relieving stress. Some of from reality and relieving stress. Some of the ways are safe and even beneficial, the ways are safe and even beneficial, while others can be dangerous. Make a while others can be dangerous. Make a two column chart and list 3-5 safe escapes two column chart and list 3-5 safe escapes people use and 3-5 dangerous escapes.people use and 3-5 dangerous escapes.

MUG #5 9/29/08MUG #5 9/29/08

while charlies parents were while charlies parents were pleased with his grades they still pleased with his grades they still found a plethora of picky things found a plethora of picky things to nag and torture their only son to nag and torture their only son withwith

MUG #6 9/30/08MUG #6 9/30/08

wow even though charlie earned all A’s his wow even though charlie earned all A’s his parents pondered why he didn’t get all parents pondered why he didn’t get all A+’s being good wasn’t good enoughA+’s being good wasn’t good enough


Obstacles constantly present themselves. Obstacles constantly present themselves. Some are fleeting, such as facing an Some are fleeting, such as facing an important test in school. Some may take important test in school. Some may take years to overcome, such as a major injury years to overcome, such as a major injury or the loss of a loved one. Write about an or the loss of a loved one. Write about an obstacle you’ve faced in your life. Did the obstacle you’ve faced in your life. Did the experience change you for the better, or experience change you for the better, or did it leave you angry and bitter?did it leave you angry and bitter?


-Disney Day!-In honor of Prince Charming, happily ever after and Disney day, write about your ultimate dream come true. What are your dreams for the ideal future? What is one wish that you would like to see come true? Write about your own personal fairy tale, in which you are the star.


Pirate Day!Pirate Day!

You have washed up on a deserted You have washed up on a deserted island. This island receives no cell island. This island receives no cell phone reception, so phones are phone reception, so phones are useless. What are the three items that useless. What are the three items that you would want to have with you on you would want to have with you on the island? Why?the island? Why?


What do you think are the three most What do you think are the three most pressing problems facing the United pressing problems facing the United States today? Do you have any idea States today? Do you have any idea about how these problems might be about how these problems might be solved? Do you think they will be solved? Do you think they will be solved in your lifetime?solved in your lifetime?


Creative:Creative:

Every day you pass a door. It is Every day you pass a door. It is always closed and locked. You’ve always closed and locked. You’ve wondered for years what is inside wondered for years what is inside that door. This morning as you that door. This morning as you passed by, you noticed that the door passed by, you noticed that the door was open. What did you find inside?was open. What did you find inside?


““If all printers were determined not to print If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little ever nobody, there would be very little ever printed.”printed.”

Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin* What do you think about censorship? Citizens of * What do you think about censorship? Citizens of

the U.S. are guaranteed the right to free the U.S. are guaranteed the right to free speech, but many Americans feel that this right speech, but many Americans feel that this right sometimes comes under attack. Have you seen sometimes comes under attack. Have you seen evidence of this around you, even in your evidence of this around you, even in your school? If not, have you read about anything school? If not, have you read about anything that would be construed as censorship that would be construed as censorship occurring in the U.S.?occurring in the U.S.?

MUG #7 10/21/08MUG #7 10/21/08

further issues between charlie and his further issues between charlie and his carping parents was charlies room carping parents was charlies room and charlies bedtime.and charlies bedtime.

(Carping means complaining)(Carping means complaining)

Bellwork 10/22/08Bellwork 10/22/08A A utopiautopia, according to , according to Webster’sWebster’s

dictionary, is “any place or state of ideal dictionary, is “any place or state of ideal perfection.” One person’s utopia might be perfection.” One person’s utopia might be a country where discrimination does not a country where discrimination does not exist and all lifestyles are tolerated. exist and all lifestyles are tolerated. Another person’s utopia might be a huge Another person’s utopia might be a huge city full of clubs, theaters, and restaurants. city full of clubs, theaters, and restaurants. What is your idea of utopia? If you could What is your idea of utopia? If you could design the ideal society, what kind of laws design the ideal society, what kind of laws would govern it? What would it look like? would govern it? What would it look like? What kind of people would live there?What kind of people would live there?

bellwork 8/20/08 many names have special meaning or history. for example, the name hannah means...

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