Saturday, May 23, 2015

Over the long weekend! Remember to scroll down for challenge assignments!

Finish Persepolis for Tuesday/Wednesday with 25 notes on strong images (what do they show or say that the text doesn't? how do they contribute to your understanding of emotions and events depicted in the book?) Also take notes on Marji's experience of Innocence and Faith.

Our Socratic Seminar for Persepolis will be Tuesday and Wednesday. Come prepared to share your insights and get your notes checked for completion!

Final Drafts of your research papers are due Thursday/Friday.  I am granting you a slight extension because  I think your papers will be stronger for it.

Period 6: Your Rough Drafts are due on Friday for peer-editing. Please, please, please don't skip steps. You must have: 

  1. Read 5-7 articles and taken citations and notes for each. These can be recorded in google docs, a notebook, or in the margins of papers you have printed out.
  2. You must have at least 15 notecards (5 for each source) including a citation card (MLA formatting), at least two direct quotes (worded so well you just have to use them), and at least one paraphrase card in which you are writing down facts or statistics or general information (in your own words), and finally, a ME card writing down your thoughts on the topic and how the information will help you write your paper--how will you use it? What does it show?
  3. A typed, complete and thorough outline (remember you can change the word "debate" or "claim" to idea or topic) before beginning your rough draft. 


Final Drafts for 6th period will be due the following Monday (the first of June).

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Rough Drafts Due Thursday/Friday for Peer-Editing!

Scroll down for challenge assignments!

There was a wonderful discussion yesterday at lunch. 7 people showed up to talk about the film "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas".  They didn't necessarily follow Socratic Seminar Protocol, but they were so enthusiastic, and all participating that I was convinced of the value of the conversation. Remember that if you want to extend your learning, please consider the challenges as long as you are keeping up with your research!!! Don't choose challenge over research ;)

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Over the Weekend!

I am changing the date of the Rough Drafts. Rough drafts are due Thursday/Friday of Next week. I am trying to schedule computer time for Tuesday and Wednesday to help achieve this goal. Keep working on your research and outlines!

Scroll down for challenge criteria!

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Homework, Challenge Assignments, and Make-Up Socratic Seminar--Oh My!

*Socratic seminar make-up is Thursday May 14th at Lunch!

Homework periods 1 and 2 due Thursday May 14th:

Bring a typed outline of your research paper to class Thursday. Remember to follow (as closely as you can) every line item represented on the sheet I gave you. The formatting should be in the exact style of the sheet. If one line item doesn't relate to your topic you may write N/A (not applicable), or, if what it tells you is that you need to do further research, you may write--"need to do further research".

You may begin reading Persepolis tracking strong images using sticky notes. What does the image say? Show? Imply? What can be read in the image? Additionally, but to a lesser degree track themes of Faith and Innocence so you may bring that to the final Socratic Seminar.

You will have until the 26th to finish Persepolis and turn it in with your notes.

Homework period 5 due Friday May 15:

Bring a typed outline Friday. This should serve as a map for your writing. Do not worry about perfection. There still may be some pieces you need to figure out including further research, or specific wording. Make the outline as complete as possible. On Friday we will look at a sophomore level example of a research paper.

You have until the 27th to finish Persepolis but it may be best if you hold off beginning it until after Friday so we can go over the powerpoint and discuss the background of the book.

While you read Persepolis you will be tracking strong images using sticky notes. What does the image say? Show? Imply? What can be read in the image? Additionally, but to a lesser degree track themes of Faith and Innocence so you may bring that to the final Socratic Seminar.


Homework period 6 due Friday May 15th:

Only 3 of you completed the notecards. Six of you attempted to. The rest of you need to make sure your 15 notecards are complete for classwork on Friday or you will not get credit for the assignment or make the most of writing the outlines.

You have until the 27th to finish Persepolis but it may be best if you hold off beginning it until after Friday so we can go over the powerpoint and discuss the background of the book.

While you read Persepolis you will be tracking strong images using sticky notes. What does the image say? Show? Imply? What can be read in the image? Additionally, but to a lesser degree track themes of Faith and Innocence so you may bring that to the final Socratic Seminar.

Challenge Options:

*You may complete up to, but no more than 3. Please do not let your regular classwork take a backseat to the challenges. The most important thing is to keep on top of Persepolis and continue with your research.

Streaming On Netflix:

Watch "A Gentleman's Agreement" with Gregory Peck. It is a black and white film portraying anti-semitism in the United States. A reporter pretends to be Jewish in order to cover a story on anti-Semitism, and personally discovers the true depths of bigotry and hatred.
Either organize a group to watch it and come discuss during lunch in a seminar style, or write an response to the film arguing whether or not the main character should stay with his fiance using specific evidence to back up your reasoning (minimum 600 words typed). 50 points Typed

Deadline: May 30
Estimated time: 3 hours
____________________________________________________________________________
Streaming On Netflix:

Watch 3 episodes of "The Nuremberg Trials" where, using actual footage, photographs, scripts and reenactments, the trial of Nazi War Criminals takes place led by the allied forces. Each episode features one of the war criminals. Write a profile of each accused man and his response to the allegations (minimum 600 words typed) 50 points typed

Deadline: May 30
Estimated time: 3.5 hours
_____________________________________________________________________________
Streaming On Netflix:

Watch "The Boy in Striped Pajamas".   Write two, typed, journal responses to the end of the movie, one from the perspective of the mother and one from the perspective of the father addressing where they wend wrong, how it all could have ended differently (minimum 600 words typed). 50 points

(Or organize a seminar discussion at lunch)

Deadline: May 30
Estimated time: 2.5 hours
_____________________________________________________________________________
On Youtube:

Watch Oprah's Interview with Elie Wiesel. This interview is 46 minutes long. Write a response to the interview describing what you noticed, thought about, felt, or realized. Use three quotes from the interview to support your thinking (minimum 600 words typed). 50 points

Deadline: May 30
Estimated time: 2 hours
______________________________________________________________________________
Read Sarah's Key and write a 1-2 page typed response to the book using specific evidence, quotes or descriptions of scenes to support your thoughts, feelings, realizations, etc connected to Night, Humanity, or WWII (minimum 600 words, typed). 50 points
_____________________________________________________________________________
Free Rice: If you have not done this before, go to the website, create an account, and login. Choose Vocabulary and begin matching the given word with its best synonym. Levels start at 1 and end at 60. (I have only ever gotten to 47). For each correct answer, 10 grains of rice is donated to charity. You need to get 10,000 correct answers. This will take more than one night. 50 points

Deadline: June 5
Estimated time: 6 hours
______________________________________________________________________________

You may check out (or purchase) Persepolis 2. Read the full text and use sticky notes or another approved note making method (CARPE note making is fine) to track the text. Show me the note responses for credit. 50 points


Deadline: May 30
Estimated hours: 3
_______________________________________________________________________________




Friday, May 8, 2015

Over the Weekend!


  1. Study for SAT Vocabulary list #9.
  2. Bring 3 or more articles Monday relating to your research paper. 
  • These should be academic articles from Oslis, a major University, or a library archive; a newspaper article from a well-known, reputable source (the BBC, the New York Times, The New Yorker, the Oregonian, OPB, the Washington Post, or other similarly highly regarded print news sources); and a magazine article. Just type in your key words and search the archives. 
  • Do not google until you have exhausted all other resources listed above! 
Periods 1, 2, and 3: Bring 2 sets of notecards representing your work from two different sources on Monday. That is 10 cards total. We will create a third set in class and you will receive the 15 points credit for this assignment as long as it is done correctly.

Period 6: Bring your 3 articles and be ready to create 15 notecards in class.

Notes for the book Night were due today. If you have not yet turned them in, your last day to do so is Monday.

The Summative assessment (a socratic seminar worth 50 points) for the book Night took place onThursday and Friday. If you missed this experience, you may make it up Thursday during lunch. So far I have 8 students who will be participating.

We will be picking up Persepolis on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Finish the Night by Tuesday/Wednesday!

With 30 notes. We will be having a Socratic Seminar that will count as your summative assessment for the book on Tuesday and Wednesday (or Friday) depending on how much we get through.

On Thursday/Friday you must bring three articles relating to your research paper. I will show you how to make notecards from these articles. PLEASE do not fail to complete this homework or you will lose important research time and have more to do on your own.

Friday, May 1, 2015

Over the Weekend!

Please read up through page 97 in Night, taking sticky notes along the way tracking the themes of Faith and Innocence. Mark pages and your thoughts about where you see this theme showing up explicitly (he states it) and implicitly (you can tell or imagine he feels it). Watch how this changes throughout the book. How does Elie change? How does his faith change? Faith can be considered in terms of family, society, humanity, future, or religion.

You may also track moments that are powerful in language or imagery. What does it make you think? Wonder? Feel?

Additionally, it is always good to think back to the CARPE note making strategy. Connect with the text, ask questions, review what you know, make predictions, or examine what the author's message, style, structure, tone or purpose.

You should have 20-25 notes by the time you reach page 97.

Further reminder: Study for Vocabulary Group #8

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

April 30th and May 1st

You need to read top page 85 in Night, taking sticky notes along the way by 85 you should have 20-25 notes. 
Notes can respond to and document the emerging theme of innocence and faith--how does Elie express his innocence and faith and how does it change?--as well as making notes of anything that confuses you or you would like to discuss in class. Consider using CARPE margin-type of connections to connect with the text. It is not enough to just label the instances of innocence and faith. You must also describe what you think is happening and why.

Make a note of powerful imagery or descriptions.

Periods 5 and 6
You will be taking an epic vocabulary quiz on Friday. SAT Groups 6 and 7. For Quiz 7 there will be no matching--all the words will be on the page but you will have to know how to use them correctly.

Students not finished with the Macbeth exam need to set up a time with me to take it. I will be proctoring a test Thursday the 30th 4th period in room 206 (the copy room) if you would like to join me there. I will also be available before school every day beginning at 7:30. I can meet you as early as 7 if you give me a heads-up.

You may also come to room 110 on Friday 7th period if you have a free period to finish. Just let me know ahead of time so I can bring your test. 

Friday, April 24, 2015

Week of April 27

Periods 1 and 2

Vocabulary Test #7 is delayed until Tuesday. Meet in the classroom for a lesson on research. Be prepared to discuss the book Night through page 65.

Periods 5 and 6

Come to class ready for a mini-research lesson.
Vocabulary Test #6 is delayed until Friday.
Read to page 65 in Night by Wednesday. Hopefully we will finish the test in time to discuss. If this is not the case, I will at least check your sticky notes to see that you are tracking the theme of Faith and Innocence.

Challenge Assignment: Watch Patrick Stewart's "The Tragedy of Macbeth" on PBS (free!). Come to class on Tuesday ready to discuss. In order to get the 50 extra points you will need to participate meaningfully in a structured discussion.


Sunday, April 19, 2015

This week!

Vocabulary test is delayed until the end of Macbeth Unit Exam.

Period 1 and 2 will continue to take the Exam.

Periods 5 and 6 will begin the exam. (Period 6 exam start will be postponed to Wednesday if 90% of students have finished their passage identification packets by Monday.)

Friday, April 10, 2015

Homework April 10, 11, 12

Prepare for the Vocabulary Test, SAT Group #5, and see below for specific instructions per class.

Group 5


Absolutionforgiveness; pardon; release
Blatantobvious
Creditablepraiseworthy
Ensconceestablish firmly in a position
Hastenhurry; accelerate; rush
Lacerationa cut
Obduratestubborn
Plausiblecan be believed; reasonable
Reprievea respite; postponement of a sentence
Tawdryof little value; gaudy

Homework by class:

Period 1: Finish filling out the Macbeth passage identification packet/study guide (three per page minimum)
Period 2: Annotate the page of sonnets. Look for rhyme, meter, iambic pentameter (or not?) meaning, and the significance of the last two lines.
Period 5: Finish your agreed-upon # of passages from the Macbeth passage identification packet/study guide (you were working in groups of 2 or 3).
Period 6: Study vocabulary you lucky ducks!

Remember to complete your forecasting sheets and, if you are planning on taking less than 8 classes, get a signature from your parent or guardian!

Friday, April 3, 2015

Homework over the Weekend!

Practice vocabulary from SAT Group 4.

Group 4


Abrogatecancel; deny; repeal
Blasphemyspeech which offends religious sentiments
Crediblebelievable
Enigmapuzzle; mystery
Harbingersindicators; bringers of warnings
Labyrinthinecomplicated; highly convoluted
Nuzzlecuddle; snuggle
Plauditstatement giving strong praise
Reprehensibleshameful; very bad
Tardyslow; late; overdue; delayed


Study tips:

Flashcards
Study Partner--quiz each other
Write each word into a sentence (have someone check the sentence)
Practice using different tenses for accuracy

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Homework continues to be....

Read independently!

One book per quarter should be your goal.

Study for SAT quiz #3 next Monday.


Saturday, March 14, 2015

Over the weekend!

Periods 1 and 2:
Translate Macbeth lines through the killing of king Duncan.


All periods:

Study for Vocabulary Quiz Group #2

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Homework reminder!

Periods 5 and 6

If you have not already finished your worksample you need to do this by scheduling a time with me either before school, after school, or at lunch.

Vocab Quiz #1 Wednesday for periods 5 and 6 at the beginning of the period.

Final Drafts of Things Fall Apart polished and complete due on Wednesday at the latest with highlights for all of the changes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Periods 1, 2

If you have not already finished your worksample you need to do this by scheduling a time with me either before school, after school, or at lunch.

Hamlet translation of "To be or not to be" due at the beginning of class on Thursday (12 March 2015)
 worth 20 points.

Monday, March 2, 2015

Homework

Final TFA essays are due tomorrow for 2nd period only.

Periods 1 and 6: your revised TFA essays are due next Tuesday (you have one extra day because I will be gone on Monday). This does not include you if you have not gotten your draft back from me yet. In that case you will have a week from the day I give you your essay back.

Period 5: You will have a week from this Wednesday (when I hand them back) so until March 11th to revise your essays.

No other homework unless you are period 6 and you need to present your reason for playing a character in Macbeth.





Saturday, February 28, 2015

Over the weekend read over the character descriptions from Macbeth. Choose a character you would most like to play. In a well-written paragraph, typed or in final draft form handwrite, an argument about why you want to play the part and why you are best suited for that part. Use at least three reasons to support your argument.

25 points. These speeches will be delivered Monday.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

30 Day Project In-Class Essay

Monday we wrote in-class timed essays. These will not be graded as a final draft but as what we call a formative assignment. I want to see what you can do--how developed you are at this time--at composing a formal essay based on a prompt and a little pre-writing. This assignment will give me a good idea of where your strengths and weaknesses are and where we need to go by the end of the semester.

This is worth 40 points and is weighted like an in-class assignment.

If you missed this assignment, you need to find a 45 minute slot to come in and re-take the essay.

This week we will be diving into Macbeth. No homework for Thursday/Friday.

Friday, February 13, 2015

Your very developed almost finished drafts of your Things Fall Apart essays are due....

Tuesday the 17th and Wednesday the 18th of the coming week. We will deeply peer-edit those days and then you will have a quick turn around to make your final edits.

Final papers are due Thursday the 19th/Friday the 20th of the very same week!

We are starting Macbeth this coming week. Get ready for witches!

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Monday February 9th

I hope you used your in class time well (Thursday and Friday) and are almost finished with your rough draft. These are due on Monday. Please use the weekend to complete what you were not able to during class.
Rough Drafts may be handwritten but need to be complete either on loose paper, in your notebook, or on the template passed out by the sub.

Based on some inquiries I have received over the weekend, as well as the need for dialogue journals to be handed back, I am going to be lenient on you for Monday. Come with a very sloppy rough draft, or an outline that shows how you want to organize your ideas and thoughts.

I am still sick so I will not be there on Monday. I do not expect you to make any further steps on your draft until I get back and can help you.

See you soon I hope!

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Independent Book Projects!

If you have finished your dialogue journals and all 4 quizzes for Things Fall Apart, the only thing you should be working on is your independent book project which is your final and is worth 200 points--100 for the project and 100 for the artist statement. See and example below!

Although this is a creative project, it should be well done and show deep comprehension of your book as well as theme or symbolism in the book. See definitions below for a refresher.

I am working through your revised essays for your Role of Lit/Storytelling papers. I will hand these back on Monday.

Theme: An implicit or recurrent idea. For example, "In my book, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the theme of friendship and betrayal  between Lenny and George was incredibly strong."

Other themes: overcoming challenge, good vs. evil, healing through love, inner turmoil and eventually triumph, youth culture in conflict with elders, coming of age, destiny, corruption and power, etc.

Symbolism: 
  1. The practice of representing things (or themes) by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships

    For example, in Of Mice and Men, Lenny's shows his "love" for the puppy by petting it so roughly with his incredibly strong hands that the results is the puppy's death. This symbolizes the power of the strong over the weak as well as how terribly wrong something can go even if you love it.  Strangely enough, it is Lenny who turns out to be "too weak-minded" to survive in the world governed by men.

    Your artist statement should be at least 2-3 strong paragraphs. It should be MLA formatted and double-spaced. See the following for an example.

Ms. Brandy

Our Classs

English 3-4--periods all

20 January 2015

                                                         Sample Independent Book Project

                      (Below should be double-spaced but I'm not going to do that to save space)

Over the semester I read many books, but for the independent book project I chose to focus on the book Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson. The reason this book stands out to me is that the story pertains to the struggle of a girl entering high school. Because I am a high school teacher, I can imagine her during her eighth grade summer, anticipating her next phase, being excited to feel more independent and grown up, and ready to explore high school with her tight-knit group of friends. The first scenes are so vivid in my mind--the summer heat, getting ready for a party, the party itself, a little beer-drinking, flirting with an older boy and then, suddenly, and shockingly, a scene that changes everything.

School doesn't go well for Melinda, the protagonist of the story. Melinda struggles with the aftermath of the event, the judgement of other students, and her own self-judgement. Everything has changed for her and she doesn't know how to proceed. Part of the trouble is that now she is entering high school with a reputation she is unprepared for. Because of this, Melinda does the only thing that makes sense at the time, she starts to make herself "invisible". Little by little she draws into herself. She slowly stops trying to make everything better, and even worse, she virtually stops speaking. Her only salvation is an art class with a zany teacher who has the wild idea of assigning each student an object or an image to focus all of their art on for the ENTIRE year. Out of the broken globe he passes around, Melinda pulls the word "Tree". This word doesn't immediately "speak" to Melinda, but with the teachers encouragement, she starts to see it as more than a tree and it becomes a journey to express herself. Throughout the book, Melinda's drawings of trees mirror not just the weather outside, but the weather, the conditions, and the state of Melinda herself.

For my project I chose to decorate the inside and the outside of a shoebox. On the outside, after covering my box in white paper, I drew all kinds of trees from withered, broken-limbed trees, to wind-blown, chopped down, and finally sprouting trees. These are meant to represent the important symbol of trees in the book, but also Melinda's journey. I painted the inside of the box black and put an image of a  tiny candle flame at the center. Around the flame I drew silver silhouettes of a girl to represent how Melinda sort of became a ghost that year. Overlapping the silhouettes, I drew images of lips and glued them to the silhouettes creating what I hope is a three-dimensional look. I tried to make the lips look chapped because as things got worse for Melinda, her mouth literally began to dry and crack. This to me was hugely symbolic of the pain of her silence. The flame represents the strength of her spirit. I won't give away the book, but by the end that spirit begins to show what its really made of.

This book was a kind of coming-of-age novel, but it was also a story of the triumph of a young girl's spirit as she overcomes a disastrous event. I was inspired by the themes of bravery to overcome difficulty, but also impressed by the author's strong use of symbols throughout the book. I hope I have captured some here so that when students see my work, they just might be interested in reading Speak too.

Hope that example helps!

Ms. B

To see what is coming up, please scroll down. We will not be working on any writing about Things Fall Apart until the beginning of next semester.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Now that we have finished the book...

We will be working on Newscasts! You will present your newscasts on Tuesday the 20th and Wednesday the 22nd.

Next week there will be little to no homework. We will be examining Things Fall Apart through several lenses to set you up for your Literary Analysis essay. Lenses include: the tragic hero; cultural conflict--assimilation and dissolution of culture through colonization; author's purpose and how he achieved it; and an examination/comparison of TFA with William Butler Yeats' poem "The Second Coming" from which the title "Things Fall Apart" is derived.  Once we look at the each lens, you will decide which best suits you and begin the writing process. The writing process will kick off next semester.

You all have done so well thus far that I am excited to see you craft strong ideas about the book into interesting and varied essays.

Your only significant homework next week will be preparing your independent book project for your final. You have had plenty of time so far to get started at least thinking about your projects, but next week the real work should begin.

I look forward to your ideas come to life!

Friday, January 9, 2015

Over the Weekend!

Finish Things Fall Apart! Create your last 3 dialogue journals for chapters 23, 24, and 25.

There will be a short quiz on Monday.

Also remember to consider taking a few steps toward drafting your Newscast script. You will be performing with your groups on Thursday and Friday.

Finally, consider steps you might want to make toward completion of your book project for your final. Each project will be accompanied by an artist statement 2-3 paragraphs long. I will give you examples next week.

Have a lovely weekend!

Ms. B

Monday, January 5, 2015

Welcome Back!

The grades are now up to date! I will be entering zeros this evening so that you can really tell where your grade is at this time including missing work. This could be a scary moment for some of you. Please use it as a wake-up call to get in gear as we head toward the end of the semester!

Homework for Tuesday/Wednesday: Read chapters 19 and 20. Come ready to discuss. You do not need to write dialogue journals. I will provide them for the chapters and you will work with a partner to meaningfully analyze the quotes I pull out in class.