High School

Today we looked at the poetic devices that each poet used in our poetry smack down and we voted for our final four.  For HW this week:

1. Write a "short" response to each of the poems.  It should be a complete, full developed paragraph (3/4 of a page at least).  This response should explain how the poetry devices used in the poem impact the meaning of the poem.
2. College Response-Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way.  How has this gratitude affected or motivated you? 

This week, we peer reviewed our summary/response papers and worked more on our poetry bracket.  For homework this week, please do the following:

1. Revise and Edit your summary/response
2. Complete your Emily Dickinson Research
3. Apply your AP poetry terms to ONLY OUR WINNERS (Identify those elements only in the eight poems moving on to the next round).
WINNERS: The Road Not Taken, Lyric Selfie, Invictus, We Real Cool,  Friends Through Screens, Wild Geese, Famous, The Lost Generation.
4. Write a free verse anaphora poem (Need a review--Read here)
5. College mini-essay-Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time.  Why does it captivate you?  What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? (ONE PAGE MAX)

Great class today!  I loved diving into the poetry with you all! I love that you all have some very strong opinions :)

This week:
1. Finish up your summary/response draft for Serial.  Remember, you are writing about the podcast, not Adnan's case. It is acceptable to use an outside source for your quotes if you would like. Aim for 2-3 pages at minimum.  Include correct headings and formatting and a Works Cited page.  You will have to research how to properly cite a podcast. We will peer review these on Tuesday, so please have a printed copy in class (shoot me a message by Thursday--your deadline--to let me know you've got it finished).

2. Use the Where I'm From poem to write your own poem telling me about where you are
from.  Here is a template for  you to guide your  thinking: Where I'm From Template

3. Do your research about Dylan Thomas.  Keep up with your sources on the back of your paper.  DO NOT USE WIKIPEDIA!!! That is a good launching point, but it is not a reputable source.

Today we had a gallery showing of our Long Way Down posters.  Then we peer reviewed our papers.  Everyone confirmed that they did receive a good amount of feedback and had ideas about how to improve his/her papers.  I also gave everyone the grading rubric and code sheet that I will be using to grade the papers. 
For this week:
Write your final draft of your paper. 
Listen to the first three episodes of the Serial podcast.  Answer the response questions in the packet, focusing on the fallacies and biases in the case. 

Today we had a silent discussion about Macbeth and Long Way Down and the common ideas among the two.  Then we focused on writing our thesis for our upcoming paper.  I was able to check everyone's thesis and everyone has a graphic organizer to get their ideas about both texts organized.  We will not meet next week, but when we return on 3/19, students should have their Long Way Down mind map complete AND come to class with a completed draft of their papers (this may require a reread or at least a skimming of both texts).  We will peer review when we come back from break. 

Today in class we discussed Lady Macbeth's soliloquy.  Then we worked in groups to create a "timeline" of Macbeth.  Each group had to determine a way to rank or judge Macbeth.  Then they had to determine where he would fall past the baseline of positive or negative for each act.  Groups also had to draw a symbol to represent the emotions of that act and scene. Very good discussions with this!  Also great job on the quiz! 

For this week-Read all of Long Way Down (audible has it for $5 right now and it's Jason Reynolds reading!)
Take your notes for your Mind Map--Bring these to class on Tuesday

Today we spent some time focusing on the annotations/close read of our Lady Macbeth scenes.  Then we also discussed the emotions we were seeing and traced those across characters in Acts 1-3.  For at-home work this week:

1. Shakespeare Authorship paper if you have not completed it already.
2. Macbeth Quiz over Acts 1-3.  (it's 12 or so questions and you cannot save, so choose a time where you can do it in one go.  You may use your book & notes).
3. Read Acts 4 & 5 and take notes (look at last week's posting to grab the note taking page). 
4. Acts 4 & 5 comp questions and end of act activities.
5. Close read of Act 5 Scene 1
6. Summary Acrostic of Acts 4 & 5 

Today we reviewed Lady Macbeth's mini-soliloquy and also discussed the emotions we saw in Act I.  We worked in pairs to create a summary acrostic of Act I and we also worked in pairs to create Valentines to and from various Macbeth characters. For this week, please do the following:

Read Macbeth Act II and Act III
Answer the Comprehension Questions for each act
Complete the End of Act Activity for each Act
Do a Close Read of Act II Scene II and focus on Lady M and M's reactions to Duncan's death.  How do they differ? How are they the same?
Take notes about the emotions you observe (You should have one of these pages per act)
Revise your Rhetorical Paper

Quiz over Acts 1-3 next week :) 

Today we prepped for Macbeth!  We worked in groups to read an excerpt from The Prince by Machiavelli to understand his philosophical ideas--then we applied those concepts to what we thought Macbeth will be about.  Then we worked in different groups to edit a paper for correct MLA formatting.  Please use the cheat sheet and videos to help you with MLA throughout the semester.  For at home work please do the following:

Finish up Machiavelli work
Finish up MLA editing
Watch MLA video
Shakespeare Authorship Paper--A short biography (one page) about Shakepeare.  It should cover his life, major works & contributions, and his motivations for writing.  It should also include quotes BY and ABOUT him (properly cited).  Use correct MLA formatting.
Read Macbeth Act I
Answer Macbeth Act I comp questions (in complete sentences)
Complete Macbeth End of Act I Activity
Close Read of Lady Macbeth's mini-speech - How to do a close read annotation
Take Notes throughout Act I about our essential question ( I gave you a note-taking page for this)

You should be budgeting one hour per day to work on English :) 

Today we reviewed rhetoric and applied our rhetorical analysis skills!  We reviewed ethos, pathos, and logos.  Then we divided into groups and watch Fred Rogers Senate Committee speech from 1969.  We observed the ethos, pathos, and logos in his speech.  If you did not finish this in class, please finish it for homework.   We also discussed the following grammar concepts: antithesis, subordinate clause, interrupting clause, conditional clause, and colon use.  These were covered in our Mentor Sentence for the week. 

For at homework:
Finish Mr. Rogers speech analysis
Watch or Read Jason Reynolds's speech at Lesley University and answer the comprehension questions
Complete your mentor sentence page
Writing: Consider something at which you feel you are an expert (singing, driving, animals, soccer, swimming, music, writing, cosplay--I don't care).  Then try to convince me to participate in that activity.  You should explain your ethos/credibility.  Why should I believe you?  You should use logos (logic) and pathos (feelings) to convince me.  It doesn't have to be long--1/2-full page is plenty.  Make the content good and convince me! 

Good work today working on some confusing topics (passive voice and rhetorical appeals).  You all are also doing really well on the word quizzes for the week.  We'll have two more for chapters 4 & 5 next week.  For HW:

Read Chapter 4 - 6 and be prepared for a word quiz
Complete Chapter 4 -6 comprehension questions
Comic of 4 -6  (just the most important scene)
Writing: Select ONE TOPIC from the book (The Great Depression, loneliness, The American Dream, rabbits/animals, John Steinbeck--this list is pretty open ended).  Write one paragraph about that topic for each rhetorical appeal.  You will have 3 total paragraphs (ethos, logos, and pathos).  It doesn't have to be final draft worthy, but please try your best to apply the rhetorical appeals devices we've discussed in addition to the grammar and mechanics skills we've been discussing this semester (i.e. capital letters, correct quote use, no passive voice, titles, etc.)

We will also have Lit Terms #2 quiz.  We added the terms Motif and Magical Realism to the list today. 

This week, we did a one-word quiz on Chapter 1 (everyone made a 100)!  We'll do these for each chapter, so be ready!  We also did a close reading of chapter one, which lead to some interesting discussions about character traits and motivations.  This class always does great at discussion!  Of course, we did our MUG sentences (specifically working on how to put quotes in sentences) and we also discussed new lit terms (symbolism and foreshadowing).

For HW:
Read Chapters 2 & 3 and be ready for a rabbit quiz :)
Make a comic of what you feel is the most important scene from each of those two chapters.  You may hand draw your comic, use a template, or use the computer, but please have a hard copy to hand me on Tuesday. Pixton and Storyboard are two computer creators I like, but feel free to use what works for you!
Create a drawing of the bunkhouse that opens chapter 2.  Recall the examples I showed you.  I'm looking for something with perspective.  We're working a  lot of the skill of visualizing this go around, so please make sure your art is neat, colorful, and detailed.
Lit terms we've discussed this far: Tone/Mood, Interior Monologue, Symbolism, Foreshadowing-Please research these and get your notes caught up before our next lit terms quiz! 

Today we discussed Monster by Walter Dean Myers and specifically focused on the "monster" in each of our two books for this unit.  We spent the majority of our time discussing our upcoming paper (due 11/21). 

For HW this week:
Reading: Finish reading Monster by Walter Dean Myers
Writing: Write a draft of your paper that is due on 11/21.  Bring it to class next week and we will work on peer reviewing it. Be sure to address all parts of the prompt and provide text evidence.  
Writing: Write an authorship paper for Walter Dean Myers (remember your rubric to check for errors)

This is a light week, so please take advantage of it and get any make-up or past work completed!

Please get the next two books Of Mice and Men and Between Shades of Gray.  Of Mice and Men is a very short book and we will move quickly into Between Shades of Gray.  

Happy Halloween!  Great discussions today as we wrapped up Frankenstein.  We'll start Monster this week and wrap it up before Thanksgiving.  Be thinking about your paper prompt as you are reading this week. 

HW:
Reading: Monster pg. 1-98
Response: Make a playlist for Steve Harmon--What songs would you share with him?  Why?  Here is a really good guide for how to do this assignment!
Writing: Finish your Blackout poem for the Monster's Monologue (Frankenstein)
Writing: Hexagonal Thinking-Frankenstein
Writing: "I too am just like Frankenstein's monster.  I also want...."  5-7 bullet point phrases that show the characterization of Frankenstein's monster and how he relates to you (in wants, motivations, behaviors, etc)
Grammar: Paper corrections for points back on your two papers I have returned to you.  Remember, you do not need to rewrite your entire paper!  However, you must hand write only the sentence that contains the error and fix the error!  If you have a 10 title error, you will underline instead of italicize.  You will do this for EACH grammatical error (if you have 15 total #10 errors in your paper, you will correct that error 15 times!).  If you do this task, I will award your grammar error points back to you.  

Today we took our Lit Terms quiz and played a game with comprehension questions for Frankenstein.  We also worked on MUG sentences.  For this week please complete the following:

Finish reading Frankenstein (pg. 95-end)
Complete the creative writing (Dark and Stormy Night)
New Mentor Sentence
Make your own crossword: Select 20 words from your Frankenstein reading and make a crossword with those words.  You may use an online crossword generator for this.
Comprehension Questions
Authorship Review of Gris Grimly (is it a pseudonym or not??)

Today in class, we accomplished A TON!  We discussed KOA and put that book to bed.  We moved on to our Frankenstein study and began discussing the elements of Gothic Literature.  Next week, we will have a lit terms quiz. For HW this week:

1.  Theme Analysis Paper from KOA and Outsiders (due Friday--absolutely the last day  PLEASE EMAIL THIS TO ME)
2. Character Analysis for an Outsiders (due Friday--absolutely the last day  PLEASE EMAIL THIS TO ME).
3. Frankenstein Packet (mentor sentence, crossword, comprehension questions)
4. Gothic Literature Packet (3x4 grid and tracking elements in your reading)
5. Mary Shelley Authorship paper
6. Read 1-94 of Frankenstein

Frankenstein vocabulary-capacious, disposition, syndic, indefatigable, dissimilitude, fidelity, imprudence, countenance, irreparable, lamented, melancholy,  procure, reprobate, abhor, benevolent, unalterable, perpetuate, amiable, discourse, complacency

Today we worked largely on discussing our outline for our big paper (due 10/17).  Please review the checklist on the back of the paper and also the coding page to make sure you have all the requirements.  

For 10/17
Finish reading Kids of Appetite
Get your copy of Frankenstein by Gris Grimly
Write your paper (and make it amazing!)

P.S. If you didn't turn in your characterization paper, please email that to me as well. 

Lots of good discussion and game playing today!  You all are very fun to work with each week! For HW, please work on the following:

Reading: Kids of Appetite pg. 82-190
Writing: Lit Term Characterization Paper
Mentor Sentence: New Sentence from Kids of Appetite
Lit Terms: Research-Write your paper from the outline you started with your partner in class today.  Include the following bbs, ASBA* sentences, and an appositive.  Highlight each of these grammar requirements  in your paper.
Vocabulary-Define the words from Kids of Appetite

Next week: We'll work on the requirements for the big paper and the creative project for The Outsiders and KOA (due 10/17).  We may also play some more games :)

*bbs, ASBA sentences are: because, but, so, Although, Since, Before, After
use because, but, so in the middle of the sentence
Although, Since, Before, After will start your sentences
an appositive renames the subject of the sentence

Today we worked on the Odd One Out and the poem Nothing Gold Can Stay, which is in The Outsiders.  We also worked on developing our topics into our themes.  This will be helpful as we continue on throughout the unit.  For HW:

Reading: Kids of Appetite pg. 1-81
Writing: Read Song of Myself by Walt Whitman and write the response to the page
Mentor Sentence: New Sentence from Kids of Appetite
Lit Terms: Research-Protagonist, Antagonist, Foil, and Anti-hero-Who are these in The Outsiders and Kids of Appetite (they may not all be present in both).  Also research Point of View  What point of view does each book use?

A note about the authorship paper for KOA--The research for David Arnold is sparse.  That's just because he is somewhat new to the author scene.  Here are some spaces to check out:
His website
Video about KOA
Author Interview

In addition, Emmy has emailed David himself to virtually "interview" him, so hopefully, we'll hear something back from that soon.  Because of this, I'm going to switch our authorship due date to the ending date of our reading of KOA instead of at the beginning.  

First and foremost, please complete ANYTHING from 9/5!  I will collect all 9/5 HW and 9/12 HW next week. 
1. Finish Character Archetypes (include page numbers and evidence from the text)
2. Mentor Sentences #2
3. Read Ch. 7-12 (get caught up if you need to)
4. Lit Terms for this week (take notes): Storytelling Arc -Research and then make a story telling arc about The Outsiders.  Do this after finishing the book, so that you can include all the elements. 
5. Finish your Response Paragraph:
What does it mean to be an outsider? What is the opposite of being an outsider?  How does an outsider feel?  Why?  How does a person who “fits in” feel?  Why?  How do you know? Do you feel like an outsider?  Why or why not? 

In addition:
6. Authorship paper for David Arnold (review the  improve your writing  tips and add TWO examples in your authorship paper.  Write about which two you used and how easy/difficult it was.  Include this at the bottom of your paper. )
7. Get your Kids of Appetite Book
8.  Respond:  The Outsiders is considered a timeless classic.  What do you think?  Is it timeless?  Is it out of touch?  How so?  How could it be more applicable?   (Again, look  at the improve your writing tips and add TWO examples in your authorship paper.  Write about which two you used and how easy/difficult it was.  Include this at the bottom of your paper). 

Email your authorship papers to me (katie@rowereads.com) by midnight tonight. 

Today we worked on Character Archetypes together in class and learning about different types of characters.  We applied this to the characters in The Outsiders.  If you did not finish this, please do so for homework.  You can also augment your answers as you read more.  Also make sure you have notes on archetypes and theme (you can go back and look at last week's assignment for the links).  We also worked on new MUG sentences (which included parallel structure). 

HW:
Finish Character Archetypes (include page numbers and evidence from the text)
Mentor Sentences #2
Read Ch. 7-12 (get caught up if you need to)
Lit Terms for this week (take notes): Storytelling Arc -Research and then make a story telling arc about The Outsiders.  Do this after finishing the book, so that you can include all the elements. 
Finish your Response Paragraph:
What does it mean to be an outsider? What is the opposite of being an outsider?  How does an outsider feel?  Why?  How does a person who “fits in” feel?  Why?  How do you know? Do you feel like an outsider?  Why or why not? 

Today was so much fun!  I hope everyone had a good experience and understands that our English class may look a little different from other English classes! We review the syllabus and dicussed what texts we will be reading for the first semester.  We also learned about MUG and Mentor Sentences, which are two strategies that we will be using to improve our mechanics, usage, and grammar.  Another skill we reviewed/discussed were the lit terms we will begin discussing next week. 
For HW next week, students should read The Outsiders ch. 1-6 and write their authorship paper about SE Hinton (use the J.K. Rowling authorship paper as a guide). In addition, students should complete Days two-five of their mentor sentence worksheet and learn about archetypes and themes.