Friday 12/20: Homework and Happy Holidays!

All Classes: 

Over break, enjoy some quality time reading your independent reading books!  

(I will check your reading logs when we return). 

Thursday 12/19: Homework

Block A:
Today we started watching Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Pretty confusing, eh? Wait until we finish it tomorrow! You will be amazed at how the pieces of the story come together! Bring your notes and observations to class tomorrow--and arrive promptly because we will need every minute!

Block B:
I didn't even get to say good-bye to you today--we were rudely interrupted by the fire drill! Tonight, please finish reading Chapter 10 and answer the questions on the Reading Road Map handout.

Block C:
Good job getting your Frederick Douglass Reading Spectacular projects finished! I forgot that I won't see you until NEXT YEAR, so I will take this opportunity to wish you a fabulous, restful, and fun-filled holiday break!

Wednesday 12/18: Homework

Block B:
Tonight, I would like you to finish reading and annotating Chapter 9. You should revisit your map and retrace Deo's steps as you make your annotations. I have Sydney's map as a model for you to follow below. I will recheck your maps tomorrow.

In addition, please write a one paragraph response to this question: Why does Kidder divide the novel in this way? What purpose does this structure serve?

Block C and E: 
Your Frederick Douglass work is due either tomorrow (C) or Friday (E). Please be sure to bring the following to class with you--printed and ready to go:

1. Your annotated copy of the text
2. Your three neatly written or typed responses to Chapter 7, 9, and 10.

You will be writing an in-class response in class tomorrow or Friday.

Block F: 
Your reading and writing work on "The Body" is due by Friday. You must turn in your 4 response (typed or neatly handwritten and proofread, along with the rubric) either before or after the Senior breakfast. You may put your work on my desk in F202, or in my mailbox. Late work will not be accepted after the break.

Tuesday 12/17/13: homework

Block E: 

Continue to work on completing the items on the list of reading and writing tasks that you have due by this Friday on Frederick Douglass. 

Block F: 

Continue to work on completing the items on the list of reading and writing tasks that you have due on Stephen King's "The Body" by this Friday. 

Block A:

Write your own version of a story modeled after Margaret Atwood's story titled "Happy Endings."

Bring your printed copy to class tomorrow. 

Monday 12/16: Homework

Block F: 
Today we worked in F101 on the reading and writing tasks you are responsible for completing by this Friday. Once your phones were comfortable on the front desk, you worked well. Tomorrow we will be continue the process in G101. Your job tonight is to continue moving through the chapters, reading and annotating so that you are ready to write your responses carefully.

Phones resting, students working.

Block A: 

Tonight please read Margaret Atwood's short story titled "Happy Endings." Please use the story structure as a model to write your own version--a "choose your own adventure" format that has multiple conclusion options. Your version will be due (TYPED) on Thursday. Please print before you arrive!

Block B:

Please read Chapter 9 (up until the page break on page 130). Use the map of Burundi/Rwanda that I gave you in class to map and annotate the events in the chapter. Bring your work (on the back of your Chapter 7 yellow mind map) to class on Wednesday. We will finish Chapter 9 together.

Block C: 

Continue to work on completing the items on the Frederick Douglass reading and writing checklist of assignments that are due on Thursday 12/19. Bring your questions to class with you 

Friday 12/13/13: homework

Block A: 

Make a wish list for the types of projects and writing you would still like to work on in the time remaining this semester. Be specific! Bring your lists to class on Monday. 

Block B: 

Read and annotate Chapter 8 this weekend. We will be talking about your mind maps on Monday

Block C: 

Continue to work on completing the items on your Frederick Douglass Reading Spectacular checklist . You will have work time on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday next week. See the assignment below for dates and information: 

Block E: 

Continue to work on completing the items on your Frederick Douglass Reading Spectacular checklist . You will have work time on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday next week. Below are the notes from the discussion we had yesterday on Douglass's purposes for writing the Narrative. 

Thursday 12/12/13

Block C and E: 

We will be working on the Frederick Douglass Reading schedule that you received today. Your goal is to move at your own pace during class time and at home to complete the assignments by the end of next week. 

Block F: 

Today you received the reading and writing assignments that you will be working on at your own pace over the next few days. Your job is to complete both the reading (up through Chapter 17) and the writing activities that will be due by Friday 12/20. 

Wednesday 12/11/13: homework

Sorry to be posting so late! We had long workshops today and I nearly forgot! Have no fear, the homework is here! 

Block A: Bring your dialogue projects to class on Friday. We will be using the mobile lab to finish them up! 

Block B:

Read chapter 7 in Strength in What Remains for Friday. Also, finish this week's AoW fr Friday too! 

Block C and E:

Read and annotate Chapter 7 in The Narrative. 

Block F: 

Read and annotate Chapter 5 in "The Body" for Thursday. 

Monday 12/9/13

Block A:
Today we took a break from the Dialogue projects (due to a computer shortage!) to talk about our favorite words. Tonight, your job is to take a look at the list of "Cool Words" that I gave you and select one that you would like to adopt. Use the instructions on the handout I gave you in class and do some research about what your chosen word means. Bring your word and your research to class tomorrow so that you can create an awesome story about your word. You have some choices about the genre you will select tomorrow.

In the meantime, continue to work on your Dialogue from Film projects--we will be wrapping up the project on Friday when we have the lab back again.

Block B: 
We worked on bringing some vocabulary words to life using some creative writing approaches today. We will hear from the rest of the groups tomorrow. For tonight, please be sure that you are caught up through Chapter 6 in Strength--as we will be developing questions on the text in class tomorrow.

Block C:
Today we talked about some of Frederick Douglass's purposes for writing the Narrative. We know that he took great risks in telling his story during this time. Some of the purposes you identified in class today were:

• to make sure outsiders knew what was happening to slaves
• to show misconceptions about slavery
• to show how poorly slaves were treated
• to show the daily life of slaves
• to use his knowledge to give voice to all slaves

 Tonight, please identify TWO purposes that you see and complete the front side of the sheet that I gave you in class today. Use evidence from the text to support your ideas.

Friday December 6: Homework

Block B:
For those of you who were selected to share your one-pagers today, thank you! You are getting the hang of this activity, and I think the discussion we had generated a lot of interesting observations. I've attached the notes below. This weekend, please read Chapters 5 and 6, taking note on the area you have selected to focus on in the reading. For example, after hearing Tristan question why Deo has not yet revealed his history of what he saw before he fled the country, I started to consider the choices that Tracy Kidder is making in STRUCTURING the novel. My focus this weekend will be to consider the chronology of the story as it is revealed by Kidder. What will you look at? Bring your notes, observations, and questions to class on Monday.

Block C and E:

• Read and annotate Chapter 2 in The Narrative. Mark up the text with your questions, observations, and connections. Also, find 3 new vocabulary words and look up the definitions!
• Read your independent reading book too.

Block F: 

• Read and annotate Chapters 1-4 in "The Body."Mark up the text, taking note of the setting and characters. Fill in your character chart as well. 

Thursday 12/5/13

Block e:

For tonight, please read and annotate Chapter 1 of The Narrative. I will be checking your annotations. Make notes on the observations, questions, and connections you develop. 

Block F:

For tonight, please refer to the article we read by Lenore Skenazy in class today to formulate an argument. Follow the template provided to you and write a polished, well-supported and grammatically sound response of about 250 words. Bring it to class and have it ready at the start of the block! 

Block A:

Continue to work on your dialogue projects and bring your draft with you to class, printed and ready to go, on Monday. We will be workshopping! Send your drafts to the copy center before the class block and pick them up on your way. 

Wednesday 12/4/13: Homework

Block F:

Finish your free write on your childhood adventure. Be prepared to discuss tomorrow. 

Turn in your Room essay to turnout in.com.  Our class code is: 7353857 and the password is ILOVEENGLISH. 

Block A:

Continue working on your dialogue projects. We will have the mobile lab tomorrow, so bring your movie clips and scripts tomorrow.

Block B:

Revisit your Article of the Week work, taking in the feedback you received today. I will collect your work on Friday. 

Work on the "Signposts" organizer and use your observations to develop a one-pager due on Friday. Bring your one-pager (printed and ready to share at the start of the class) on Friday! 

Block C: 

Wow! What an awesome, sticker-worthy discussion we had today!  I was so impressed with all the connections you made between the texts we have been studying. You rock! I took a picture so you could remember and revisit your ideas. Behold! 

For Friday, please read and ANNOTATE Chapter 1 of Douglass' Narrative. 

Tuesday 12/3/13: homework

Block A:

Bring your screenplay and film clip with you to class tomorrow to work on transforming your scene from film to prose! We will be using the mobile lab in class tomorrow to write the revision.

Block B:

Article of the Week due tomorrow.

Read and annotate Chapter 4 in Strength.

Block C:

Revisit the documentary on Frederick Douglass here and work on improving the quality of the notes that you took in class. If you received less than a 7/8, you should be prepared to resubmit your notes. 

Block E: 

Review your notes on the documentary on Frederick Douglass that we watched before break. We will be starting the text tomorrow. 

Monday 12/2/13: Homework

Welcome Back! Here's what you should be doing tonight!

Block C and E:

• Finish your in-class writing response to the question we explored today: Do we have too much stuff?
• Keep in mind the two video clips we watched in class. Your response should reflect some careful thinking and it should consider any counter arguments as well.
• Read your independent reading book at home for 15 minutes too.

Block F:

• Finish the in-class writing response to the question we explored today: Do we have too much stuff? Consider the two video clips we watched in class as you compose your response. Think deeply and carefully and connect your ideas to your SCHEMA (prior knowledge). Follow the format that we set up in class:

In my view, ________________________________ because_______________________________. More specifically, I believe that ______________________________. For example, _________________. Although __________might object, I maintain that ___________________. Therfore, I conclude that _________________________________;.

• In addition, you should be working to finish your Room essays due at the start of class on Wednesday. Extra help is available after school on Tuesday!