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Thursday, September 30, 2010

The Last Samurai / Critical Lens - Intro / Pigs - Chapter 11

Grade 12
  • Yesterday: finished notes on the hero journey
  • Today: collected essays
  • Started The Last Samurai
  • Students need to take notes and prepare to write an essay applying the hero journey and the four functions of myth to the story.

Grade 10
  • Critical Lens interpretation, continued (We did this yesterday also.)
"It is not what an author states, but what he or she whispers,that is important." (borrowed from Logan Pearsall Smith)

This means that authors don’t directly state what they are trying to tell you. They make you read between the lines to find the theme.

  • Went over the formula for completing the introduction to the critical lens essay, then applied the formula to the quotes already interpreted. Example:
  • According to Logan Pearsall Smith, "It is not what an author states, but what he or she whispers, that is important." In other words, authors don’t directly state what they are trying to tell you. They make you read between the lines to find the theme. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, and Speak by Laurie Anderson, illustrate the truth of this theme.
  • Note: Students who are confident writers are encouraged to write the paragraphs in their own words, without the formula, as long as all the important information is included.
  • Short stories due tomorrow.
Grade 9
  • Journal: What was your personal reaction to this chapter? Why did you react this way?
  • Read and discuss portions of chapter 11.
  • HW: Chapter 12 and reading log. Reading logs may be checked tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Peer Review / Lens Interpretations / Quiz 1 Review, Chapter 9 Discussion

Grade 12
  • Peer review
  • Final copy due Thursday
  • Reflection journals due next tuesday (10 entries)

Grade 10
  • Finish book list in notebook
  • Lens quote interpretation:
  • identify important vocabulary
  • define, find synonyms
  • use context clues as needed.
  • Put in your own words
  • Stress that an accurate interpretation of the quote is critical for the construction of a successful essay.
  • We worked this quote together: "All literature shows us the power of emotion. It is emotion,
    not reason, that motivates characters in literature." (Duff Brenna)
  • Interpretation: "In literature, a character makes his decisions from what he feels is right, not what he thinks is right." (Nate)
  • HW: Identify the important vocabulary and interpret the following quote: "The bravest of individuals is the one who obeys his or her conscience." (J.F. Clarke)
Grade 9
  • Return and go over quiz 1.
  • Discuss chapter 9 with special attention to the character development of Mama, Aunt Mattie and the minor characters,
  • HW: Chapter 10

Monday, September 27, 2010

The Four Functions of Myth / Book Review / Pigs Quiz Ch. 5-8

Grade 12
  • Reminder: You are not writing these practice application essays for a high school English teacher. Your audience is a college admissions officer. Now, did you edit that essay carefully enough?    ............I thought not.
  • Application essays need to be positive. You need to show personal growth.
  • Viewed and took notes on Mythology slideshow. The four functions of myth were explained and discussed: Cosmological, Sociological, Pedagogical, and Metaphysical
  • Started the steps of the Hero Journey
  • Peer review tomorrow on question #62
Grade 10
  • Distributed formula for writing critical lens essays.
  • Discussed critical lens rubric.
  • Began book review list; titles, authors, summaries of freshmen reading.

Grade 9
  • Quiz on chapters 5-8
  • HW: Chapter 9, reading log.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Power of Myth, Finally / Short Story Exam / Chapter 8

Grade 12
  • Finished Power of Myth Video
  • Discussion

Grade 10
  • Short Story unit Exam
  • Directions for short story distributed, due Friday
Grade 9
  • Journal; what is the theme and tone of chapter 8? How do you know?
  • Discussed chapter 8.
  • Quiz on chapters 4-8 on Monday.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Plagiarism and Power of Myth, cont. / Mr. Nuttel Flips Out / Foreshadowing: the Outlook is Bleak

Grade 12
  • Read and responded to plagiarism article: Cutting and Pasting: A Senior Thesis by (Insert Name)
  • A very good discussion followed.
  • Continued video.
  • Collected essays.
  • Next Essay: # 62: Imagine you are a "hero" for one day during any time period and under any circumstances. Write a creative essay descreibing your experience. (Addendum: no comic book super heroes!)
Grade 10
  • Journal: What are Vera's positive qualities?
  • Discuss.
  • Discuss the end of the story.
  • Add vocab word:
  • romance: a baseless, made-up story, usually full of exaggeration or fanciful invention.
  • Story video
  • HW: Write story outline, study for unit test
Grade 9
  • Journal: Identify and explain an example of foreshadowing in chapter 7
  • Discuss.
  • Go over chapter 7.
  • HW read and log chapter 8.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Verlyn's Essay / "Open Window" Part 2 / Pigs Chapter 6

Grade 12
  • Read and respond to Verlyn Klinkeborg's essay, "Root Hold"
  • Discuss
  • Continue POM
Grade 10
  • Journal: What are ver's and Nuttle's characters like? How do you know.
  • Discuss the beginning of the story. Identify character clues.
  • HW: Finish the story. Write in in-class journals an in depth character analysis of Framton and Vera.
Grade 9
  • Finish quiz
  • Journal: Describe Aunt Maddy
  • Discuss chapter 6.
  • HW: Chapter 7, read and log

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Peer Review / Personal Journal - Masque outline / Pigs Quiz

Grade 12
  • Peer review on question 29
  • Handout: Second Deadly Sin of Writng
  • Tomorrow: "Root Hold" by Verlyn Klinkenborg / continue Power of Myth video
  • Final copy due Thursday.
Grade 10
  • Journal: What is important to you? Explain. use an anecdote.
  • Check homework, hand back essays.
  • Proofread journal entry.
  • Complete "Masque" outline.
  • HW: Read the first page of "The Open Window", annotate clues to character development
Grade 9
  • Journal: What is important to you? Explain. use an anecdote.
  • Quiz on chapters 1-4.
  • Check reading logs 3-5
  • HW: Read and log chapter 6.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Essay Review: Editing Notes / Masque Finale / Pigs Ch. 5: Themes

Grade 12
  • College hint: Sign in during visits, create on line accounts to prove interest
  • Note essay requirements for individual schools
  • Personal anecdote: Picture book gone flat and dull
  • Hand back Essay 1
  • Importance of the anecdote
  • Editing notes: Does and Don'ts (especially don'ts)
  • If time, next part in POM
  • Tomorrow: Peer review, journal check #2 for period 4
Grade 10
  • Journal: What is the tone of the story? How do you know? What is the theme of the story? How do you know?
  • Discuss the final page of "Masque," share theme and tone thoughts.
  • Start outline, finish for homework.
Grade 9
  • Journal: What is the author trying to tell you in this chapter?
  • Share, discuss. Note foreshadowing in the chapter.
  • Theme: nature’s laws, the unexpected happens, things aren’t always what they appear to be
  •  HW: review chapters 1-4 for quiz

Friday, September 17, 2010

Journal Review, POM / "Masque" cont. / Pigs, Ch. 4

Grade 12
  • Reminder: Journals are for practicing proper writing. I want to see paragraphs and competent mechanics.
  • Discussed running themes I found in the journals. (anxiety, fear of failure)
  • Wrote a timed reflection journal on the topic, "What do I need to let go of that is holding me back?" The purpose is to find out how long it takes for everyone to write one journal. The issue is that eaveryone writes differently; some write small, others large. The half page per entry criteria has some doing more work than others. The result of this exercise is to modify the criteria from page length to time on task. One entry should equal five minutes of writing.
  • Continued The Power of Myth video.
Grade 10
  • Journal: What is the significance of the clock in the story?
  • Continued wrestling with "Masque of the Red Death." Read last nights passage, expalined and discussed.
  • HW: Finish the story.
Grade 9
  • Journal: What came up in the story that impressed or confused you?
  • Read over the parts of chapter 4 that caused difficulty. Discussed the continued development of Papa's and Robert's character.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Hit and Run

Have to post quickly:

Grade 12: Continued POM video, took notes. Collected essays and journals. Assigned question #29 in essay packet for next Tuesday's peer review.

Grade 10: Went over last night's reading. Modeled how to think about this story. Read through to the end of page 176. Highlight, annotate.

Grade 9: Went over chapter 3. Chapter 4 and reading log for homework.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

The Hero Journey, Part 1 / "The Masque of the Red Death" / Robert Gets Tucked In

Grade 12
  • Debriefed peer reveiw experience from yesterday.
  • Dist. handouts: college search info, Bloom's Taxonomy, Maslow's Hierarchy, Jungian Archetypes
  • Watched part 1 of Joseph Campbell's "The Hero Adventure." (Episode 1 of The Power of Myth) Took notes: definition of a hero, 2 types of hero (physical, psycho/spiritual), different ways to enter a hero journey (lure, thrown, self decision), and more.
Grade 10
  • Checked last night's HW (Outline for "Soft Rains).
  • Went over the outline. made changes and discussed as necessary.
  • Introduced Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death." Read the first paragraph together.
  • This is a challenging story. I advised students, if they have a particularly difficult time, to highlight what they do understand.
  • HW: Read and annotate up to the last paragraph on page 175.
Grade 9
  • Checked last night's reading log. Grades were given for effort.
  • Discussed chapter 2 with particular emphasis on the character development of Robert's parents. The tone of the chapter was discussed and the contrast with the imagery at the end of the chapter: the smell of death on Papa as possible foreshadowing.
  • HW: Chapter 3 plus reading log.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Peer Review / "There Will Come Soft Rains" / Robert Gets Bitten by a Cow

Grade 12
  • Go over peer review routine.
  • Split into groups.
  • Reflection journal? How did the peer review go?

Grade 10
  • Journal: What was the most disturbing imag in the story and why? Discuss.
  • Discuss story. What is the tone? (whimsical, light hearted) How does the tone relate to the content? (Irony) What is the theme? (Nature vs. technology, the hazard of technology)
  • HW: In pencil, skipping lines, in notes section of notebook, complete outline as was done with "Last of the Unicorns.
Grade 9
  • What qualities has Robert shown so far? What evidence supports this?
  • Finish reading chapter 1.
  • Generate a reading log together. Use as model.
  • HW: Read and log chapter 2.

Monday, September 13, 2010

College App Essay Samples/ Unicorns Miss the Boat / Robert's Cow Problem

Grade 12
  • Handed backponse letters. (Don't lose them! They will go into your portfolio!)
  • Assigned peer review groups. Discussed peer review process.
  • Shared the following valuable links:
  • College Board
  • College Confidential
  • U.S.News & World Report
  • A+ Options for B Students
  • Questbridge (QuestBridge is a non-profit program that links bright, motivated low-income students with educational and scholarship opportunities at some of the nation's best colleges. QuestBridge is the provider of the National College Match Program and the College Prep Scholarship.)
  • Distribute sample app essays. Discuss the love letter to the University of Chicago.
  • For Wednesday, read all the sample essays, identify examples of personal voice.
  • Tomorrow: First peer review session.
Grade 10:
  • Journal: Select a moment from this past weekend and describe it in as much detail as possible. (Note: a moment is no more than a few seconds.)
  • Check in hw.
  • Discuss journal assignment and the importance of being able to use 'specific details from the passage' when writing essays.
  • Finish reading and annotating "The Last Unicorns."
  • Copy model outline:
  • Title: “The Last Unicorns”
    Author: Edward Hoch
    I. The “Big Four”

    A. Characters: Shem, bearded man, Noah

    B. Theme: saving the unicorns

    C. Plot: Shem tries to buy unicorns. Bearded man says no. Shem tries to steal them. BM stops him. Shem tells Noah, can’t save unicorns.

    D. Setting: Long ago, green fertile valley, farm, raining/ Tone: Gloomy

    II. Plot Breakdown

    A. Motivation: Save the unicorns

    B. Conflict: BM won’t give them up

    C. Complication: SAA

    D. Suspense: Why does Shem want the unicorns?

    E. Climax: Shem trying to steal the unicorns

    F. Dénouement: Shem talking to Noah

    III. Analytical Elements

    A. POV: Third Person

    B. Techniques: allusion to the story of Noah in The Bible. Also strong language identifying tone: dark, gloomy, dismal.
  • Homework: Read and annotate "There Will Come Soft Rains."
Grade 9:
  • (See first three bullets under grade 10)
  • Review definition of "Shaker."
  • Start reading chapter 1 of The Day No Pigs Would Die.
  • No HW.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

My Facebook Group

All my students (and only my current students) are encouraged to send a request to join my Facebook group. LINK

Friday, September 10, 2010

Fertile Ground / Themes, Tones, Unicorns and Pigs

Grade 12
  • Read a personal essay on a visit to Ground Zero
  • Students responded in notebooks.
  • Share and discuss.
  • Connect writing style to assignment due on Tuesday.
Grade 10
  • Discuss themes found in books, movies TV shows.
  • Journal: write about a book, movie or TV show and identify its theme.
  • Share.
  • Start "The Last of the Unicorns" by Edward Koch. Read the first two paragraphs together. identify words and images that reveal the tone. Annotate.
  • Review homework assignment.
Grade 9
  • Same as first three bullets grade 10.
  • Fill out book cards, distibute A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck.
  • Copy defintion of Shaker in reading log section of notebook.
  • review homework assignment.

Thursday, September 09, 2010

Lost Innocence / Themes and Tones

Grade 12
  • Shared personal responses from the letter activity.
  • Define 'voice.' Identify examples of voice in my letter.
  • Read the essay in Man the Myth-maker on the loss of innocence.
  • Discuss.
  • Give essay assignment: When were you no longer a child? 250 - 400 words. (Due Tuesday 9/14)
  • Reflection Journals: At least 5 per week. One entry should be half page minimum. One full page can be considered two entires, but the purpose of journal writing is practice. Develop a routine. Don't do it all at once. 5 entries will be due by next Thursday.
  • Mention: Do not believe that private colleges are unaffordable. Each private has it's own financial aid formula. Find the schools that meet your needs! Then research the financial aid opportunities.
Grades 9 and 10
  • Discuss editing: read work out loud, find and correct errors. Spend at least a minute editing all of your work for any class.
  • If you don't like writing, make sure you won't have to write an assignment again because you waited until the last minute and rushed.
  • Edit yesterdays journal activity.
  • Journal: If your life is a story, what is the title? Why. Share some.
  • HW: HW: Theme/Tone assignment:

    *Introduction*Discuss the "biographical" theme and supporting details. What is the theme of your life right now? Why? Themes may center around a conflict (you against _________.), desire (I want _________, but __________ is in the way.), good fortune, friendship, family, etc. If you have difficulty finding a them, please see me for guidance. One way to think about it is to ask yourself, "If my life is a story, what is the title?" The answer will lead you to the theme.*Discuss your "biographical" tone. What is the primary feeling in your story? Why? Give examples.*Conclusions: Did you learn anything from this exercise?

    OR  Write an actual narrative... the story of this stage of your life. Use language that will imply the tone. Again, think of a title that will point you in the direction of a theme... but don't state the theme directly. Write this from either the first or third person. (Note: Grade 9 is to write the narrative only.)
  • Due Monday.
  • Grade 10 were given short story packets. Don't lose them!

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Opening Day

College Prep 12
  • Discussed expectations.
  • Read opening letter.
  • HW: respond to opening letter
Grades 9 and 10
  • Handouts
  • Vocabulary:
  • Theme: a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in literary or artistic workEx: “Never give up.” “Accept what can’t be avoided.” “The need of the one outweighs the need of the many.”
  • Tone: a literary technique, that is a part of composition, that encompasses the attitudes toward the subject and toward the audience implied in a literary work. Tone may be formal, informal, intimate, solemn, sad, playful, serious, ironic, condescending, or many other possible attitudes.
  • HW: What are the theme and tone of your life right now?
  • Handouts signed and returned.