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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Ignore that fine Weather! Get it Done!

Grade 12
  • Quiz chapters 17 through 19.
  • Discussed the society of the geese, especially as compared to the other societies' T.H.White has illustrated in the story: Mr. P., the ants, the hawks, Sir Ector's community and that of Robin Wood. Also, why is the pidgeon Archimedes favorite bird? Why does White put that in there?
  • Tonight: Chapter 20.
  • Reading log check tomorrow.
Grade 10
  • Quiz chapters 15,16.
  • Checked reading logs through chapter 14.
  • Tonight chapter 17.
Grade 9
  • Discussed the end of scene 5 in Act 3.
  • Started video.
  • HW: Catch up!

Friday, May 27, 2011

For the Weekend...

Please Note: No back work will be accepted after next Friday, June 6.

Grade 12
  • As posted yesterday, read through chapter 19.
  • Portfolios due on Tuesday. they are worth one-third of your final grade. There will be a 5 point deduction each day it is late and will not be accepted after next Friday.
Grade 10
  • Read and log through chapter 17.
Grade 9
  • Finish Act 3.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Don't Lose Focus!

Grade 12
  • Discussed themes important for the final essay on The Once and Future King: What is Merlyn trying to teach the Wart? What is T.H. White trying to teach the reader? What are the recurring themes?
  • Read through chapter 19 for Tuesday.
  • Portfolios are due on Tuesday. There will be a significnat point deduction if it is late.
  • No late work will be accepted after next Friday.
Grade 10
  • HW: Chapter 14 and log.
  • Checked logs through chapter 12 today.
Grade 9
  • Discussed Act 3 scenes 1 and 2. Began reading scene 3, finish for HW and write good notes!
  • Checked notes for Act 2.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Briefly, again...

Grade 12
  • Went over chapter 14 and 15.
  • HW Chapter 16
Grade 10
  • Discussed chapters 9 through 12. (with special attention to Holden's narrative about Jane and his description of his sister.)
  • Read chapter 13.
Grade 9
  • Finished viewing Act 2.
  • Read Act 3, scene 1 in class. Started writing notes.
  • HW: Finish scene 1 notes, read and write notes for scene 2.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Quick Update...

Grade 12
  • Quiz and discussion on chapter 13.
  • HW: Chapter 14 and 15.

Grade 10
  • Went over the Lord of the Flies exam with special attention on the importance of the use of specific details and events in the essay. This continues to be a concern with too many students.
  • HW: read and log chapters 11 and 12.
Grade 9
  • Quiz on Act 2, scene 5. Finished the act, started the video.
  • No HW. Will finish the video tomorrow and review the Of Mice and Men exam.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Kay Saves the Day / Holden Takes a Vacation / Romeo's Getting Married!

Grade 12
  • Pop quiz!
  • Discuss chapters 11 and 12.
  • HW: Chapter 13 and notes.

Grade 10
  • Pop quiz!
  • Discuss chapters 7 and 8.
  • Check reading logs through chapter 8.
  • HW: Read and log chapters 9 and 10.
Grade 9
  • Pop quiz!
  • Discuss Act 2, scenes 3 and 4.
  • HW: read scenes 4 and 5 and write notes

Friday, May 20, 2011

The Sword in the Stone, Chapter 10/ Allie / Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scenes 1 and 2

Grade 12
  • Pop quiz!
  • Discussed the development of Kay's character and the society of the "outlaws."
  • HW: Chapters 11 and 12.
Grade 10
  • Pop quiz!
  • Discussed the continuing development of Holden's character, the importance of Allie's death to Holden, the symbolism of the red hat and the writing style of the paragraph reporting on Allie's death. That's what it is: a report, like a story in a newspaper devoid of emotional content. This reveals that Allie's death is still fresh in Holden's life. He can't let go.
  • HW: Chapters 7 and 8
Grade 9
  • Pop quiz!
  • Read and discussed Act 2, scenes 1 and 2 with attention to Romeo and Juliet's behavior and Shakespeare's figurative language.
  • HW: Read scenes 3 and 4.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

The Sword in the Stone, Chapter 9/ Holden and Stradlater / Romeo and Juliet, Act 1

Grade 12
  • Pop Quiz!
  • Checked logs for chapters 1-9
  • HW: Chapter 10
  • Note: Half of period 8 was absent, all logs will be checked tomorrow
Grade 10
  • Pop Quiz!
  • Discussed the significance of chapter 4: Holden's behavior with Stradlater and his reaction to Stradlater's date with Jane.
  • HW: Chapter 5 plus log
Grade 9
  • Finished Act 1 video.
  • HW: Read Act 2, scene 1 and scene 2 to page 89. (2 reading logs!)

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Tightening the Screws.

Today, all classes were given a one question pop quiz on last night's reading assignment. The results were... disheartening except for my freshmen class. The other's were about 50-50. This one won't count, but tomorrow's will and everyone who did well today will receive extra credit.

Be warned. This is not the time to decide to coast through the last month of school.

Grade 12
  • Discussed chapter 8 today.
  • Time was given in class to start chapter 9. Finish for HW plus reading log.
  • Reminder: Reading logs should be at least half a notebook page in paragraph form.
  • Reading logs will be checked tomorrow for period 4 and Friday for period 8.
Grade 10
  • Chapter 3 was discussed today.
  • Time was given in class to start chapter 4. Finish for HW plus reading log.
  • Reading logs will be checked tomorrow.
Grade 9
  • Briefly discussed scene 5.
  • Began video which will be finished tomorrow.
  • Next scene was not assigned, but will be for tomorrow's HW. Getting ahead is a good idea.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Briefly...

Reading logs for all assignments! They should be AT LEAST a half side of a page.

Grade 12
  • Read chapter 8 (The Sword in the Stone)
Grade 10
  • Read chapter 3 (Catcher in the Rye)
Grade 9
  • Read Act 1, Scene 5 (Romeo and Juliet)

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Quick notes....

I will be out tomorrow. I hope for good sub report. You know who you are!

Grade 12
  • See yesterday's post for reading assignments.
  • Make sure all work due and overdue is in on Monday.
Grade 10
  • Lord of the Flies exam
  • Make sure the essay is the best thing you've ever written.
Grade 9
  • Started Romeo and Juliet. Finished Act 1, Scene 1. Wrote summary/log.
See you Monday! Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Essay Day 1 / Flies, Finally / Benchmark review

Grade 12
  • Day one in the computer lab writing essays for the short story/myth/folktale unit. (For essay questions, see post of 5/6).
  • Checked notes for short stories. Will accept notes tomorrow.
  • Will be in lab again tomorrow.
  • Deathline for essay is Monday, although students are encouraged to finish it in school.
  • Continue reading The Sword in the Stone:
  • Today: chapter 3.
  • 5/12: chapter 4, 5 to ~ pg. 45
  • 5/13: chapter 5,6.
  • Reading logs for each reading!
Grade 10
  • Journal: What is the symbolic value of the destruction of the conch and the death of Piggy?
  • Final discussion of Lord of the Flies.
  • Exam starts tomorrow!
Grade 9
  • Final poetry presentations.
  • Review last benchmark exam.
  • Finish Mice essays
  • Tomorrow! Start Romeo and Juliet!

Monday, May 09, 2011

The Sword in the Stone, Intro / Quiz, LOTF, C. 7-10 / Mice Exam

Grade 12
  • Intro to The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White.
  • Brief summary of the story of the birth of Arthur. (Note parallels with Oedipus myth.)
  • Read chapter 1 aloud.
  • Students were told this book may be quite a challenge. Come up with strategies for getting through at least 10 pages a night. (Read together. Read online summaries. Contact me via my FB page.) A brief summary or response to each reading needs to be done in notebooks. These will be graded. Part of the final exam will be an essay on this book.
  • HW: summary of chapter 1 in NB.
Grade 10
  • Took quiz today, checked reading logs.
  • HW: Read chapter 12 to page 191 plus log.
Grade 9
  • Started Mice exam, checked reading logs.

Friday, May 06, 2011

Oedipus / Reaction to Simon's Death / Finish Movie, Start Exam

Grade 12
  • Went over the story of Oedipus. Discussed imagery, symbolism.
  • Books will be distributed on Monday. Any senior who will miss class due to AP exam MUST SIGN OUT A BOOK BEFORE LEAVING THE BUILDING!
  • Essay questions for the shorts story/ myth and folktale unit. Essays will be written in the computer lab on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Choose 1 and start planning:
  • Folk Tale / Myth story group: In a discussion including at least two of the five stories, analyze similarities and differences in event sequence, characterization, symbolism and theme. Be sure to tie these elements together in such a manner that supports each story’s purpose or message. (Hamlet may be included in this discussion.) Think in terms of the hero journey and ‘atonement with the father’ in particular.
  • Short Story Group: Compare and contrast the writing style of two of the three authors, Joyce, Salinger and Vonnegut. The discussion may include tone, theme, imagery, author’s purpose, etc., but must include concrete examples of how each author’s writing styles force the reader to construct meaning in a different manner.
Grade 10
  • Disappointed with the homework completion. Students who have not completed their reading logs through chapter 10 were given a zero. All reading logs through chapter 11 must be complted by Monday or those zeroes are staying zeroes.
  • Monday: Quiz on chapters 5 through 9 on Monday.
Grade 9
  • Finished movie.
  • Looked at essay questions for exam. Students are to plan the essay which will be written in class.
  • Bring a penci!!!

Thursday, May 05, 2011

The Parable of the Prodigal Son / Literary Elements, revisited / Mice Movie, continued

Grade 12
  • Great discussion of the "Parable of the Prodigal Son."
  • Up for tomorrow: Oedipus.
  • Reminder: Potfolios due May 31st.
Grade 10
  • Read the first paragraph of chapter 9 aloud to the class. In journals; identify 2 literary elements and explain how their significance in the passage.
  • Discuss the rest of chapter 9 with particular attention to the symbolism of the mountain and Simon as messiah/sacrifice.
  • HW: Finish chapter 10.
Grade 9
  • Continue movie.
  • Will finish tomorrow and begin essay.
  • Reading logs will be checked!

Wednesday, May 04, 2011

The Language of the Birds / The Killing of the Sow / Mice Movie II

Grade 12
  • Discussed the symbolism, mythic parallels and the motif of the "atonement with the father" in "The Language of the Birds."
  • Tomorrow we'll discuss "The Parable of the Prodigal Son," and begin working on Oedipus which was handed out today.
  • Reminder: There should be a decent analysis of these stories in notebooks. These notes will be checked for a grade.
  • Period 8 hournals are due tomorrow.
  • All research papers should have been handed in.
Grade 10
  • Journal: Select the most important scenes in chapter 8 of Lord of the Flies, and prioritize them
  • Discussion followed with particular attention on the importance of the killing of the sow.
  • Chapter 9 should have been read and logged last night.
  • HW Chapter 10 to the bottom of page 161 and reading log.
Grade 9
  • Continued poetry presentations. All remaining presentations should be prepared for tomorrow!
  • Continued viewing Of Mice and Men.
  • Reminder: All reading logs should be done!