Returned from vacation ready to roll! More than half the year is over, and you are that much closer to summer vacation and then high school. Yeah!

Handed back compare/contrast essays and portfolios. On overhead, looked at "benchmark"* essays, copies of compare/contrast essays considered the best, the second best, average and below average.

Time to work on rough draft of assignment for novel project. Work time in class on Tuesday, though the computer lab is probably not available. Bring work to do.

Novel assignment due Friday, BOP. No lates on this one. If you will not be here on Friday, have someone else bring in your work. Or, make arrangements with me ahead of time.

Speeches have been moved up to Monday, March 2. I will give out a schedule this week. Anyone who wants to volunteer to give their speech on Friday gets extra credit.

*benchmark, (n) -- a point of reference from which measurements may be made; something that serves as a standard by which others may be measured or judged