This week, period 1 selected esurient as our word of the week. Neither the students nor the teacher knew this word, so we looked it up and found that it means: "greedy or hungry."
The sentence we created to demonstrate our understanding of the word is, "Kanye West was very esurient; he stole all the attention when he stole the mic from Taylor Swift at the VMAs."
9.12.2014
Periods 4 & 7 Word of the Week: motley
Both period 4 and period 7 voted for motley to be our word of the week. Motley means "incongruously varied in appearance or character; disparate." Many students were concerned that the definition contained some large and unfamiliar words, so our classes also discussed the definition of incongruously, making a connection to geometry class (congruent and incongruent shapes).
The sentences that we came up with to demonstrate our understanding of motley are:
Period 4: GHS's student demographic is motley; we have scholars of every background, culture, race, religion, and age.
Period 7: The many colors of the leaves make the forest look motley in the fall.
The sentences that we came up with to demonstrate our understanding of motley are:
Period 4: GHS's student demographic is motley; we have scholars of every background, culture, race, religion, and age.
Period 7: The many colors of the leaves make the forest look motley in the fall.
9.05.2014
Period 4 Word of the Week: celerity
For our first word of the week, period 4 selected celerity. Celerity means "rapidity of motion or action." Before we made our sentence, we enjoyed joking about "celery" and "celebrity" being our word of the week.
The sentence we created to demonstrate our understanding of this word was:
With his incredible celerity, Ussain Bolt broke the world record for the 100 meter dash.
The sentence we created to demonstrate our understanding of this word was:
With his incredible celerity, Ussain Bolt broke the world record for the 100 meter dash.
Periods 1 & 7 Word of the Week: idiosyncrasy
Periods 1 and 7 both selected idiosyncrasy as our first word of the week. We looked up the definition in two different online dictionaries, and the definition found in period 7 was more concise, so I will use it here:
Idiosyncrasy: "1) an unusual way in which a particular person behaves or thinks, or 2) an unusual part or feature of something."
The sentences we created to demonstrate our understanding of the word are:
Period 1: Addiction to fame is an idiosyncrasy shared by many celebrities.
Period 7: Harry Potter's idiosyncrasy is that he can talk to snakes.
Idiosyncrasy: "1) an unusual way in which a particular person behaves or thinks, or 2) an unusual part or feature of something."
The sentences we created to demonstrate our understanding of the word are:
Period 1: Addiction to fame is an idiosyncrasy shared by many celebrities.
Period 7: Harry Potter's idiosyncrasy is that he can talk to snakes.
8.28.2014
Welcome, class of 2016!
I am so excited to learn along with you by starting to use our vocabulary blog this school year.
As you read, watch TV, listen to music, travel, work, and use the internet, I hope you will keep track of unfamiliar words and post them here on our blog. Each week our class will vote on a "word of the week" that we will study and practice. That will help us all incorporate the new word into our vocabulary.
Periodically, you will be quizzed on the words we've studied in class to see how well you're paying attention. Our quizzes will help you figure out how many new words you've learned. You might just impress yourself...
Oh, and by the way, GO TROJANS!
As you read, watch TV, listen to music, travel, work, and use the internet, I hope you will keep track of unfamiliar words and post them here on our blog. Each week our class will vote on a "word of the week" that we will study and practice. That will help us all incorporate the new word into our vocabulary.
Periodically, you will be quizzed on the words we've studied in class to see how well you're paying attention. Our quizzes will help you figure out how many new words you've learned. You might just impress yourself...
Oh, and by the way, GO TROJANS!
5.09.2014
Period 3 Word of the Week: subvert
On the 9th, period 3 chose subvert as the word of the week. The following week, periods 2, 4, and 7 selected the same word! Subvert means "to undermine the power and authority of" someone or something.
To demonstrate our understanding of the word, we all created sentences:
1. Macbeth subverted the royal line of succession by killing King Duncan.
2. The notorious hacker group, Anonymous, subverted the authority of the U.S. government by helping Edward Snowden.
3. Teenagers who talk while the teacher is talking are subverting the teacher's authority.
4. Harriet Tubman used the underground railroad to subvert the system of slavery.
In my opinion, these are the best sentences we've devised all year. Hooray for the English 11 Honors students!
To demonstrate our understanding of the word, we all created sentences:
1. Macbeth subverted the royal line of succession by killing King Duncan.
2. The notorious hacker group, Anonymous, subverted the authority of the U.S. government by helping Edward Snowden.
3. Teenagers who talk while the teacher is talking are subverting the teacher's authority.
4. Harriet Tubman used the underground railroad to subvert the system of slavery.
In my opinion, these are the best sentences we've devised all year. Hooray for the English 11 Honors students!
Periods 2, 4, & 7 Word of the Week: satiate
This week, periods 2, 4, and 7 chose satiate as our word of the week. Since I posted this late, I am also able to include period 3 in this posting, because satiate was the period 3 word of the week from 5/16-5/23.
Satiate means "to satisfy to the full."
Here are the sentences our classes created to help demonstrate the meaning of our word of the week:
1. David's hunger for Ritz crackers can never be satiated.
2. Before dinner, Macbeth spoiled his appetite; he ate until he was satiated.
3. Little Johnny's curiosity about where babies come from was satiated, for the moment, by his parents' lies.
4. After eating all the balls on the game board, the hungry hungry hippos felt satiated.
Satiate means "to satisfy to the full."
Here are the sentences our classes created to help demonstrate the meaning of our word of the week:
1. David's hunger for Ritz crackers can never be satiated.
2. Before dinner, Macbeth spoiled his appetite; he ate until he was satiated.
3. Little Johnny's curiosity about where babies come from was satiated, for the moment, by his parents' lies.
4. After eating all the balls on the game board, the hungry hungry hippos felt satiated.
4.25.2014
Word of the Week for all Classes: posthumously
This week, all of Ms. B's English classes selected posthumously as the word of the week. Posthumous (and thus, posthumously, the adverb form of the word) means:
1) published after the death of the author,
2) born after the death of the father, or
3) occurring after death.
The sentences we created to show our understanding of the word were:
1) Whitney Houston was acting in Sparkle before she died; the movie was released posthumously.
2) John Harvill was posthumously venerated by Dr. Starr with a school named after him.
3) This Is It, the Michael Jackson movie, was released posthumously as a tribute to Jackson.
4) This Is It, the movie about Michael Jackson, was released posthumously.
1) published after the death of the author,
2) born after the death of the father, or
3) occurring after death.
The sentences we created to show our understanding of the word were:
1) Whitney Houston was acting in Sparkle before she died; the movie was released posthumously.
2) John Harvill was posthumously venerated by Dr. Starr with a school named after him.
3) This Is It, the Michael Jackson movie, was released posthumously as a tribute to Jackson.
4) This Is It, the movie about Michael Jackson, was released posthumously.
4.08.2014
4.04.2014
Period 3 Word of the Week: reticent
Period 3 selected reticent as our word of the week. Reticent means "not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily." We created an imaginary student named Blake to demonstrate our understanding of the word:
Blake's reticent behavior was meant to disguise his true age - 21 - from his 14-year-old classmates.
Blake's reticent behavior was meant to disguise his true age - 21 - from his 14-year-old classmates.
Period 2 Word of the Week: lethargic
Since 2nd period is still sleepytime for most students, this week's word of the week makes perfect sense. Students selected lethargic for this week's study. Lethargic means "affected by lethargy, sluggish and apathetic."
The sentence we created to show our understanding of the word is:
Students in European History class tend to be lethargic because the teacher speaks in a monotone.
The sentence we created to show our understanding of the word is:
Students in European History class tend to be lethargic because the teacher speaks in a monotone.
Periods 4 & 7 Word of the Week: censorious
Both period 4 and period 7 selected censorious as our word of the week this week. Censorious means "severely critical of others." Here are the sentences we devised to demonstrate our understanding of the word:
1) Perez Hilton is censorious of other celebrities; he is always criticizing their outfits.
2) The Grim Eater was censorious of every food he ate, except for the ratatouille, which he loved.
1) Perez Hilton is censorious of other celebrities; he is always criticizing their outfits.
2) The Grim Eater was censorious of every food he ate, except for the ratatouille, which he loved.
3.21.2014
Period 3 Word of the Week: piety
This week, period 3 selected piety as our word of the week. Piety is "the quality of being religious or reverent." After a lengthy discussion of the Dalai Lama, our class came up with this sentence:
The Dalai Lama's piety attracts many followers to Buddhism.
The Dalai Lama's piety attracts many followers to Buddhism.
Period 2 Word of the Week: predilection
On March 21, period 2 selected predilection as our word of the week. A predilection is "a preference or special liking for something," or "a bias in favor of something." This week, the sentence we wrote to demonstrate our understanding of predilection was:
Students have a predilection for teachers who give less homework.
Students have a predilection for teachers who give less homework.
Period 7 Word of the Week: zealot
Enthusiastic period 7 selected zealot as our word of the week. A zealot is "a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals." The class felt that we have a group of zealots present here at GHS:
The G'burg Junkies are zealots; they attend every GHS sports event.
The G'burg Junkies are zealots; they attend every GHS sports event.
Period 4 Word of the Week: abate
As a result of a voting conspiracy, our class selected abate as our word of the week. To abate is to "become less intense or widespread." The word usually refers to negative things that decrease in intensity or reach. After a lengthy discussion of things that can abate, our class settled on the following sentence:
Aurora's cries abate as she falls asleep.
Aurora's cries abate as she falls asleep.
3.14.2014
Period 2 Word of the Week: intrepid
This week, brave and bold period 2 forged ahead in selecting intrepid as our word of the week. Intrepid means fearless, daring, or bold. Many superheroes are characterized this way, but students in our class thought Batman would be the best candidate for a sentence (which, coincidentally, turned out to be quite alliterative):
Batman must be intrepid when battling Bane because Bane broke Batman's back before.
Batman must be intrepid when battling Bane because Bane broke Batman's back before.
Period 7 Word of the Week: fallacious
This week, period 7 selected fallacious as our word of the week. Fallacious means "based on a mistaken belief." After learning the definition, our class had a heated discussion about whether or not blood is blue when it is not oxygenated. As a result, we devised the following sentence:
Is the argument that blood is blue fallacious?
Is the argument that blood is blue fallacious?
Period 3 Word of the Week: Dogmatic
Period 3 selected dogmatic as our current word of the week. Dogmatic means "inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true." We reviewed some synonyms to help us understand the word dogmatic, and these included rigid and inflexible.
We then devised a sentence to help us understand the meaning of the word:
Kim Jong Un is a dogmatic leader; his word is law, and breaking the law is punishable by death.
We then devised a sentence to help us understand the meaning of the word:
Kim Jong Un is a dogmatic leader; his word is law, and breaking the law is punishable by death.
Period 4 Word of the Week: Trepidation
Students in period 4 elected to use trepidation as our word of the week. Trepidation is a feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen. No one had any trepidation about making up a sentence to help us understand the word:
Kia had trepidation about telling Jordan her true feelings because he might reject her.
Kia had trepidation about telling Jordan her true feelings because he might reject her.
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