Happy Holidays! Happy New Year!

Block A and B:
Read and annotate Chapter 8 in Gatsby. We'll work to finish the novel when we return!

Block D:
Prepare to complete your story map on "On the Rainy River" when we return.

Thursday 12.22.16: Homework

Block C:
1. Study for your vocabulary quiz (at long last!) on the day that we return.
2. Watch a coming-of-age film over the break. Be ready to write and talk about what you watched.
3. Select a book that you'd like to read for our next book club!
4. Enjoy the holiday. Rest. Recharge. Ring in the New Year!

Block D:
1. Study for your vocabulary quiz tomorrow!

2. Review your annotations on "On the Rainy River" for tomorrow's activity. You will be creating a story map after the vocabulary quiz.

Block F:
1. Study for your vocabulary quiz. It will be on the Tuesday after break, bright and early in first block!
2. Work on your story map for "On the Rainy River." You will have about 30 minutes of classtime to finish it when we return.

Wednesday 12.21.16: Homework

Block F:
Finish reading "On the Rainy River" for tomorrow. You will work on creating a story map when you get to class, so be ready!


Blocks A and B:
Study for your vocabulary quiz on Friday. Bring your collaborative quiz back to class to complete--you'll have about 10 minutes before I collect them!

Monday 12.19.16: Homework

Block B:
Finish watching the short clip from MTV "Cribs" here. Complete your CER paragraph for tomorrow.

Block C:
Work on your essay. Draft due at the end of the block Thursday.

Block D and F:
Write sentences for your new vocabulary words.

Friday 12.16.17: Homework

Block D and F:
Read your independent reading book. We'll continue reading "On the Rainy River" when we return next week.

Block A: 
Finish reading Chapter 7 for Wednesday. Take note of the power shifts between Tom and Gatsby throughout the chapter.

Thursday 12.15.16: Homework

Block F: 
Finish your character chart for The Things They Carried. 

Block A and B:
Begin reading Chapter 7 in The Great Gatsby. Pay attention to the power struggle between Tom and Gatsby in this chapter. Mark your text when you see one character gain power over the other. 

Block C: 
Work on your mind map for Another Brooklyn and begin thinking about possible essay topics you'd like to explore next week.

Wednesday 12/14/16: Homework

Blocks A and B:
Update your three-layer timeline on Gatsby through Chapter 6. We will resume our discussion of the novel and Chapter 6 tomorrow, so be ready!

Block C:
Continue reading Another Brooklyn, following the reading schedule we've established. We will finish the novel in class tomorrow and begin the work of mind mapping to help solidify an area of interest for your essay.

Block D:
Complete the character chart for The Things They Carried. Locate specific examples in the story. 

Brian Cranston Reads The Things They Carried

Go to this link to listen to Brian Cranston (Breaking Bad) read the first story in O'Brien's collection.

Friday 12/9/16: Homework

Block A: Write your CER paragraph on the MTV Cribs episode that we watched in class together today. Make sure that you incorporate evidence from both the episode and Chapter 5!

Block B:
Finish reading and annotating Chapter 5 in Gatsby. Complete your Scavenger hunt as well.

Block C:
Follow the reading agenda posted in yesterday's homework post. For Tuesday, you should read through Chapter 9 in Another Brooklyn.

Block D:
Study for your vocabulary quiz next Wednesday. We'll resume our reading of The Things They Carried when we return to class.

Owen's Ride!

Check out this great story about our own Owen Anketell's amazing adventure!

If you want to make a donation to help fund Owen's ride, go to this site.

Thursday 12.8.16: Homework

Block B:
Read Chapter 5 in Gatsby to the bottom of page 93. Begin working on the Scavenger hunt as well.

Block C:
You are making great progress in our new novel Another Brooklyn. Continue reading and annotating as you trace motifs and connections to our other texts. For Friday, you should be through Chapter 7.
Here's the remainder of our reading schedule for the novel:

By Tuesday 12/13:  Read through Chapters 8 and 9
By Wednesday 12/14: Read through Chapters 10-12
By Thursday 12/14: Read through Chapters 13-15
By Monday 12/19: Finish the novel

Block D:
Write your "The Things I Carry" response draft due Friday. Upload your draft to the google classroom.

Block F: 
Finish reading and annotating the story "The Things They Carried" for Monday.

Wednesday 12.7.16: Homework

Block F:
1. Complete your reflection on today's Socratic seminar.
2. Write your "Things I Carry" personal essay response. Bring it to class tomorrow.

Block A:
1. Read and annotate Chapter 5 in Gatsby, completing the scavenger hunt activity as you read.

Tuesday 12.6.16: Homework

Block A and B:
Read your independent reading book for at least 30 minutes tonight. Gather all of your vocabulary sheets together and get organized. We'll resume Gatsby tomorrow!

Block C:
Read and annotate Chapter 2 in Another Brooklyn. Be on the lookout for the motif that we started to trace as part of our discussion today. Continue to look for overlap and connections between The Body and Moonrise Kingdom as well.

Block D:
1. Bring all of your materials from the Socratic seminar to class on Thursday so I can collect them.
2. Write your personal "Things I Carry" essay for Thursday.

Monday 12.5.16: Homework

Block C:
Read and annotate the first chapter of Another Brooklyn. Note your observations, questions, and connections as you read. We'll dive in to the text together tomorrow!

Also, remember to bring $5.00 for the Holiday Coalition fund!

Block D and F:
Make sure you are prepared for our Socratic seminar tomorrow. Bring your notes, timeline, and handout that we worked on in class today. Also bring your rubric packet.

Farewell to Mr. Decker!

Thanks for joining us this semester! We wish you all the best!

Friday 12.2.16: Homework

Block F:
Work on completing your 3 layer timeline for Monday. We will have a Socratic seminar on Big Fish on Tuesday,

Block A and B:
Read and annotate Chapter 4 in The Great Gatsby. Use the reading road map I gave you to help you as you read.

Thursday 12.1.16

Block A an B: 
Finish reading and annotating Chapter 3 in Gatsby.
Add to your 3-layer timeline and your Star-ganizers too!

Block C:
Finish your book and prepare for your book club meeting on Monday.

Block D:
Complete your 3-layer timeline on Big Fish for Monday. We will prepare for a Socratic seminar next week.