Check back regularly for each day's agenda!

Day 63:  Monday, December 2, 2019

Othello Introduction Activities (Reputation)

Day 62:  Wednesday, 11.27.2019

Macbeth Final Discussion

Day 61:  Tueday, 11.26.2019

Macbeth In-Class Essay (MCAS narrative practice)

Day 60:  Monday, 11.25.2019

Macbeth Test

Day 59:  Friday, 11.22.2019

Period 2 - Macbeth Film Day 2

Period 4 - Assembly

Period 6 - Macbeth Film Day 2

This Weekend's HW:  Study for Macbeth Test

Day 58:  Thursday, 11.21.2019

Period 2 - Macbeth Film Day 1

Period 4 - Macbeth Film Day 2

Period 6 - Macbeth Discussion Questions in small groups

Day 57:  Wednedsay, 11.20.2019

Period 2 - Sandy Hook Assembly

Period 4 - Macbeth Film Day 1

Period 6 - Macbeth Film Day 1 

Use guided viewing packet (available in class only)

Day 56:  Tuesday, 11.19.2019

Read the remainder of Act 5 of MacBeth (scenes 5.6-5.11).

Write a paragraph about what happened in the act and compare it to what you predicted yesterday.

Day 55:  Monday, 11.18.2019

MacBeth, Day 12

Today's Objective:

• Students will analyze MacBeth and Lady MacBeth as dynamic characters.

Today's Agenda:

• Opener:  Write and share a prediction about how the play will end.
• 5.1 - watch "Out Damned Spot" scene on video (Patrick Stewart version)
• Answer 4 questions on 4.1-5.1 handout
• Quiet writing - guilt question
• Share summaries of 5.2-5.5
• 5.5 - Macbeth soliloquy
• View Patrick Stewart version
• Answer MCAS questions
• Ticket Out:  How are Lady MacBeth and MacBeth dynamic characters?
• We will check our three pieces of writing from today tomorrow in class.

Tonight's HW:

• Standard:  No homework.
• Honors:  Read and annotate MacBeth 5.6-5.11.

Day 54:  Friday, 11.15.2019

MacBeth, Day 11

Today's Objective:

• Students will analyze the development of the plot involving MacDuff, Malcolm, and Lady Macbeth.

Today's Agenda:

• Download a handout for today's class here.
• Review Act 4 Summaries
• View 1:34-2:00 of Patrick Stewart MacBeth (25 min.)
• Answer questions on guided viewing sheet
• Small groups:  Close reading of MacDuff's lines
• View 2:00-2:05 on video (6 min.)
• Answer questions on guided viewing sheet
• Review and discuss answers
• Ticket Out:  Submit your prediction about how the play will end.

This Weekend's HW:

• No HW!  Enjoy the weekend!

Day 53:  Thursday, 11.14.2019

MacBeth, Day 10

Today's Objective:

• Students will focus on MacDuff and the witches to perform a close reading as they will do on the MCAS.

Today's Agenda:

• Download the Macbeth 3.5-4.3 handout here.
• Discuss report cards and complete reflection journal for opener.
• Review HW and submit (compare/contrast videos)
• Quietly read 3.5 and 3.6 and answer questions
• Summarize 4.1-4.3
• Small groups:  Respond to MacDuff's quotes
• HONORS:  Why do scholars think 3.5 and 4.1 were not written by Shakespeare?

Tonight's HW:

• One paragraph response on how you think the play will end.

Day 52:  Wednesday, 11.13.2019

MacBeth, Day 9

Today's Objective:

• Students will analyze various versions of the famous Banquo's ghost scene from MacBeth.

Today's Agenda:

• Review 3.1-3.3 questions
• Clippage of Banquo's Death - discuss journal
• Summarize 3.4 and complete anticipation guide
• Comparison clippage
• Patrick Stewart
• Ian McKellan
• Michael Fassbender (on Amazon Prime)
• Version 4
• Complete graphic organizer in small groups

Tonight's HW:

• Use graphic organizer to write a 2-paragraph compare/contrast response to today's video clips.
• Honors:  Also complete 3.4 questions

Day 51:  Tuesday, 11.12.2019

MacBeth, Day 8

Today's Objective:

• Students will analyze development of plot and character in Act 3 of MacBeth.

Today's Agenda:

• Opener:  Wrap up presentations, return to talk about Banquo's character
• 3.1 Banquo's soliloquy - read and discuss
• 3.1 MacBeth's soliloquy - read and discuss
• How have MacBeth's feelings towards Banquo changed?
• 3.2 Act it out
• What are some doubts that the MacBeths share about their new positions?
• 3.3 Act it out and journal
• How do you feel about the death of Banquo?

Tonigh'ts HW:

• Complete questions for 3.1-3.3 on front side of handout.

Day 50:  Friday, 11.8.2019

MacBeth, Day 7

Today's Objective:

• Students will teach the class and present a vision of a particular scene in MacBeth.

Today's Agenda:

• Roud-Robin Reciprocal Teaching
• MacBeth 1.1
• MacBeth 1.2
• MacBeth 1.3
• MacBeth 1.5
• MacBeth 1.7
• MacBeth 2.1
• MacBeth 2.2

This Weekend's HW:

• No HW!  Enjoy the long weekend!

Day 49:  Thursday, 11.7.2019

MacBeth, Day 6

Today's Objective:

• Students will create a director's notebook online.

Today's Agenda:

• Go see school play for quarter 2 extra credit!
• Hand back work
• Questions about project requirements?
• WORK ON PROJECT!  DUE TOMORROW!
• Grade conferences

Tonight's HW:

• Finish up your director's promptbook presentation.  50-point quiz grade.  To be presented tomorrow.

Day 48:  Wednesday, 11.6.2019

MacBeth, Day 5

Today's Objective:

• Students will analyze a soiloquy and create a director's notebook.

Today's Agenda:

• Openers:
• Standard:  Review 1.7 questions
• Honors:  Share HW (1.7 directing ideas)
• Tossing Lines 2.1
• Macbeth's Soliloquy
• Translation
• Video Clip
• Discuss ideas, tone, imagery
• Review requirements for promptbook
• Small groups:  read 2.2 and begin to mark up notebook

Tonight's HW:

• Read 2.2 and work on promptbook group assignment (due Friday)

Day 47:  Monday, 11.4.2019

MacBeth, Day 4

Today's Objective:

• Students will analyze a soliloquy as a persuasive argument.

Today's Agenda:

• Review and submit tweets
• What do we all think of Lady MacBeth?
• View 1.7 soliloquy (without text)
• Write down words and impressions
• Verbalizing inner argument
• Answer questions on sheet
• Seduction scene
• Discuss MacBeth and Lady MacBeth's relationship

Tonight's HW:

• Standard:  No homework
• Honors:  Make a plan to direct and produce 1.7

Day 46:  Friday, 11.1.2019

MacBeth, Day 3

Day 45:  Thursday, 10.31.2019

MacBeth, Day 2

Today's Objective:

• Students will analyze initial lines of MacBeth and make inferences about character, plot, and theme.

Today's Agenda:

• MacBeth 1.1
• Read (Standard - No Fear Shakespeare, Honors - Original)
• 1.1 Clips
• Discuss
• MacBeth 1.2
• Read (Standard - No Fear Shakespeare, Honors - Original)
• 1.2 Clips
• Discuss
• Video Clips
• All Classes - Why do we study MacBeth?
• Honors - 1.2 Close Reading Analysis
• In small groups, work on 1.1 and 1.2 analysis questions

Tonight's HW:

• Work on Beowulf extra credit project (due tomorrow)
• Work on any make-up work and revisions (due tomorrow)

Day 44:  Wednesday, 10.30.2019

MacBeth, Day 1

Opener:  Share and submit Ragnar poetry homework

Today's Objective:

• Students will analyze initial lines of Shakespeare's MacBeth, making inferences about character, plot, and theme.

Today's Agenda:

• Opener:  Journal
• Has there ever been a time in your life when someone told you that something improbable would happen and it did?  
• Did the fact that the event was "predicted" cause you to behave differently than you would have otherwise and make it more likely for the event to occur?
• Or did the event simply seem to occur without any assistance from you?
• Students write and share.
• Discuss how this relates to plot of MacBeth (self-fulfilling prophecy, etc.)
• Tossing Lines
• Distribute select lines from MacBeth
• Have different students read aloud in circle and discuss meaning, making inferences about character, plot, and theme.
• Actors' Circle and Read Around 1.3.1-112 
• Students volunteer to read parts.Read around once, taking note of what you don't understand and asking specific questions
• Discuss what's happening in the scene, piece things together, answer questions
• Stand it up - read it again, but moving around and with more emphasis
• Discuss how MacBeth and Banquo react to the witches.  Are they confident or fearful?  How do you know?

Tonight's HW:

• Fill out Kindle permission form.

Day 43:  Tuesday, 10.29.2019

Standard: 

• Review Ragnar Guided Viewing Sheet.  Submit.
• Read and discuss Chapter V (meeting with Aslaugh)
• Read and discuss Ragnar's Death Song
• Ragnar's Death Video Clip
• Write your own Ragnar Story

• Pick either the scene with Aslaugh or the death scene
• Write it in your own words, in your own style
• Try to use kennings and rhyme scheme
• Shoot for 20 lines

Honors:

• Ragnar Research presentations

Tonight's HW:

• Finish your own Ragnar poem.
• Work on Beowulf extra credit.  (Last day of the quarter is Friday, November 1.)

Day 42:  Monday, 10.28.2019

Vikings episode:  All Change

Guided Viewing Sheet

Day 41:  Friday, 10.25.2019

Agenda:

• Reciprocal Teaching:  Ragnar Research
• Ragnar Reading Packet

This Weekend's HW:

• Work on Beowulf extra credit project

Day 40:  Thursday, 10.24.2019

Period 2:

• Ragnar Research Presentations (quiz grade)

Period 4:

• Beowulf Test

Period 6:

• Finish Ragnar Presentations
• Read and annotate excerpt from Ragnar

Day 39:  Wednesday, 10.23.2019

Work on Ragnar Research

Day 38:  Tuesday, 10.22.2019

College Pride Presentation and Q & A

Introduce Ragnar Research Assignment

Work on Ragnar Research Assignment

Day 37:  Monday, 10.21.2019

Agenda:

• Periods 2 and 6:
• Beowulf test
• Submit film guided viewing questions
• Submit kennings extra credit
• Distribute extra credit Beowulf project (due on last day of the quarter)
• Period 4:
• Guest speaker:  Poet Richard Blanco

Tonight's HW:

• Standard:  Bring in quetions about college.
• Honors:  Bring in questions about college.  EMAIL me Beowulf translation essay.

Day 36:  Friday, 10.18.2019

Beowulf and Grendel movie (with guided viewing sheet)

Kennings and Test Review 

Day 35:  Thursday, 10.17.2019

Photo Day!

Beowulf and Grendel movie

Work on Guided Viewing Questions for Film

Curriculum Focus Standard:

• RL.9-10.7
• Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment.

Day 34:  Wednesday, 10.16.2019

Theme:  PSAT Diagnostic

Agenda:

• STANDARD
• Some students are taking 2019 PSAT.
• Other students are completing 2018 PSAT:
• Section 1 - #1-28 (suggested time:  30 minutes)
• Section 2 - #1-22 (suggested time:  20 minutes)
• HONORS
• Debrief on today's PSAT
• Students who did not take official 2019 PSAT this morning should complete Standard 2018 PSAT exercises
• Work on laptops on Beowulf translation essay

Tonight's HW:

• Standard - No homework
• Honors - Work on Beowulf translation essay

Day 33:  Tuesday, 10.15.2019

Theme:  Section 2 of PSAT practice test

Agenda:

• STANDARD
• PSAT Practice Section 2 - 35 minutes
• Review answers
• HONORS
• Check PSAT HW (20 points)
• Confer on PSAT questions in groups
• Review section 2 
• Review section 4

Tonight's HW:

• Standard:  No HW
• Honors:  Get a good night's sleep for PSAT.  Be prepared to work on Beowulf translation essay in class tomorrow.

Day 32:  Friday, 10.11.2019

Theme:  PSAT Preparation

Agenda:

• STANDARD
• Share and submit HW (2 paragraphs on the battle with the dragon vs. other battles)
• PSAT practice - selections from section 1
• Strategies
• Read Aloud
• Work Independently (or with partner)
• Review answers
• HONORS
• Check annotations HW from the other night
• Check PSAT HW (section 1)
• Confer on questions from HW
• Review section 1 (and section 3)

This Weekend's HW:

• Standard - No HW (but if you are taking PSAT, complete section 1 of practice booklet)
• Honors - Complete section 2 of practice booklet

Day 31:  Thursday, 10.10.2019

Theme:  Battle with Dragon

Agenda:

• STANDARD
• Register for PSAT by Friday!
• Progress reports - take them out, reflect, write a concrete plan (at least three bullet points) for how you will improve over the next 15 days
• Share and submit HW (2 paragraph compare/contrast); highlight strengths and areas in need of improvement
• Battle with the Dragon
• Read aloud
• Discuss
• Clippage
• With a partner...
• Complete MCAS questions on Battle with Dragon
• Create a T-chart to compare the battle with the dragon to Beowulf's other two battles
• HONORS
• Standard agenda PLUS Beowulf translation exercise
• Review yesterday's translations
• Add a few more translations to compare

Tonight's HW:

• Standard:  two paragraphs - compare Beowulf's final battle to his previous two battles
• Honors:  Complete section 1 of PSAT practice booklet (60 min.) by Friday.  (Optional:  Complete section 3 as well.)

Day 30:  Wednesday, 10.9.2019

Theme:  Battle with Grendel's Mom

Agenda:

• STANDARD
• Register for PSAT by Friday!
• Progress reports - going home tomorrow
• Homework review and check (pp. 29, 1-8)
• Quietly read and annotate "Battle with Grendel's Mother."  Use strategies we have discussed.
• Review reading - questions, difficult passages, chunk up the text
• With partner, complete T-chart to compare/contrast Beowulf's two battles thus far
• HONORS
• Standard agenda PLUS Beowulf translation exercise

Tonight's HW:

• Standard:  Write 2 paragraphs comparing/contrasting Beowulf's two battles thus far.
• Honors:  Complete Section 1 of PSAT practice booklet (60 minutes) by Friday, 10.11.

Day 29:  Tuesday, 10.8.2019

Theme:  Battle with Grendel

Agenda:

• STANDARD
• Register for PSAT - $17, 10/16
• Period 4 - hand back work
• Share and submit HW (your own Unferth's Taunt)
• Clip - How did English evolve?
• write down three takeaways and discuss
• Clip - Beowulf in Old English
• Read Battle with Grendel
• Identify alliteration
• Small group:  Work on Beowulf questions (p. 29, #1-8)
• HONORS
• Standard agenda PLUS translation exercise

Tonight's HW:

• Standard:  Complete Beowulf questions (p. 29, #1-8)
• Honors:  Annotate Beowulf translations to identify differences

Day 28:  Monday, 10.7.2019

Theme:  Unferth's Taunt

Agenda:

• Register for PSAT - $17, 10/16
• Period 2 - hand back work
• Share and discuss HW (characterization of Beowulf and Grendel as foils)
• Read and discuss "Unferth's Taunt" (pp. 19-23)
• What is Unferth's Taunt?
• What is Beowulf's Boast?
• What is the role of women in Viking culture as demonstrated by Queen Welthow?
• Share example of Unferth's Taunt assignment (from John Coakley)
• Work on your own taunt with a partner

Tonight's HW:

• Write your own modernized version of Unferth's Taunt or Beowulf's Boast.  Try to rhyme.  Shoot for 16-20 lines.

Day 27:  Friday, 10.4.2019

Agenda:

• Review characteristics of the epic
• Literary Term:  Foil
• Read The Coming of Grendel
• Read The Coming of Beowulf
• Small Groups:  Create T-chart to compare/contrast Grendel and Beowulf

This Weekend's HW:

• Write 2 paragraphs about the characterization of Grendel and Beowulf.
• Honors challenge:  Include 2 quotes per paragraph.
• Extra credit opportunity:  Draw the characters.

Day 26:  Thursday, 10.3.2019

Mr. Ambrose out sick

Day 25:  Wednesday, 10.2.2019

Mr. Ambrose out sick

Day 24:  Tuesday, 10.1.2019

Mr. Ambrose out sick

Day 23:  Monday, 9.30.2019

Agenda:

• Announcements
• grades close on 10/1
• progress reports 10/10
• PSAT 10/17 - $17 to Ms. Pierre-Paul this week
• Beowulf Notes
• Beowulf Clips (watch this link and the two that follow)
• Discuss:  How does this scene illustrate the idea of the comitatus?
• Small groups:  What is a modern-day example of the comitatus?
• Bonus time:  Share Bliss essays, present Hero projects

Tonight's Homework:

• Shana Tova!
• Make sure all make-up work is completed by tomorrow (10/1).

Day 22:  Friday, 9.27.2019

• Work on Bliss essay and summer reading revisions

Day 21:  Thursday, 9.26.2019

• Work on Bliss essay and summer reading revisions

Day 20:  Wednesday, 9.25.2019

• Work on Bliss essay and summer reading revisions

Day 19:  Tuesday, 9.24.2019

Agenda:

• Share LOLLIPOP MOMENT letters
• Submit for credit, give to someone for extra credit
• PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
• For extra credit
• WRITING and REVISING on laptops
• Summer reading essay
• Bliss essay

Tonight's HW:

• Bliss essay due Friday, 9.27.
• Summer reading essay revisions due Friday, 9.27.

Day 18:  Monday, 9.23.2019

Agenda:

• Everyday Leadership TED Talk
• How to Write a Letter Video
• Write a letter to a person who provided you a "lollipop moment" in life.  Shoot for three paragraphs.
• "Lollipop moment" definition:  A moment where someone or something did something that you feel fundamentally made your life better.
• Submit letter.

Tonight's HW:

• Bliss essay due Friday, 9.27.
• Summer reading essay revisions due Friday, 9.27.

Day 17:  Friday, 9.20.2019

Agenda:

• Hand back work
• Climate Change 
• Article and email
• Video about protest
• Videos - Ocean and Home
• Discussion
• Bliss
• Review rubric
• Review questions
• Type on laptops
• Bonus Time:  other presentations

Day 16:  Thursday, 9.19.2019

Agenda:

• Periods 2 and 6 in cafe
• Period 4 works with Ms. Sanford

Day 15:  Wednesday, 9.18.2019

Agenda:

• Hero's Journey Test

No homework tonight!

Day 14:  Tuesday, 9.17.2019

Agenda:

• Opener:  Reading Passages
• Test Review
• Make Quizlet
• Study for Test
• Other Student Presentations

Tonight's HW:

• Prepare for Hero's Journey Test

Day 13:  Monday, 9.16.2019

Agenda:

• Hero's Journey project presentations
• Review and check Finding Joe questions

Tonight's HW:

• Prepare for Hero's Journey Test

Day 12:  Friday, 9.13.2019

Agenda:

• Finish watching Finding Joe documentary
• Work on Finding Joe questions
• Submit Who is your hero?  HW

This Weekend's HW:

• Due Monday, 9.16.2019:
• Hero's Journey project
• Present project on this day for extra credit.
• Due Wednesday, 9.18.2019:
• Hero's Journey Test

Day 11:  Thursday, 9.12.2019

Agenda:

• Start watching Finding Joe documentary
• Work on Finding Joe questions

Tonight's HW:

• Due Monday, 9.16.2019:
• Hero's Journey project
• Present project on this day for extra credit.
• Due Wednesday, 9.18.2019:
• Hero's Journey Test

Day 10:  Wednesday, 9.11.2019

Agenda:

• 9/11 Memories
• United 93 clip
• "Four of a Kind" reading
• "The Man Behind the Red Bandana" video
• Hero definition - brainstorm
• Check last night's HW

Tonight's HW:

• Due Thursday, 9.12.2019:
• Write two paragraphs about who your hero is and why.
• Include a photo for +10 points.
• Due Monday, 9.16.2019:
• Hero's Journey project
• Present project on this day for extra credit.
• Due Wednesday, 9.18.2019:
• Hero's Journey Test

Day 9:  Tuesday, 9.10.2019

Agenda:

• Share Hero Examples
• Student Examples from HW
• Mr. Ambrose's Examples
• Saved by the Bell
• Breakfast Club poster
• Breakfast Club trailer
• Villain Archetypes
• Female Villain Archetypes
• Brainstorm your own examples in groups
• Check HW and enter into School Brains

Tonight's HW:

• Due Wednesday, 9.11.2019:
• Write about a movie, TV show, or work of literature that uses VILLAIN archetypes.  
• Identify at least three archetypes present and explain how the characters repreent them.
• Monday, 9.16.2019:
• Hero's Journey Project due
• Present on this day for +10 extra credit
• Wednesday, 9.18.2019
• Hero's Journey Test

Day 8:  Monday, 9.9.2019

Agenda:

• Hero Archetypes
• Heroine Archetypes
• Brainstorm your own examples in groups

Tonight's HW:

• Write about a movie, TV show, or work of literature that uses archetypes.  
• Identify at least three archetypes present and explain how the characters represent them.

Day 7:  Friday, 9.6.2019

Agenda:

• Check graphic organizer homework
• Review Hero's Journey project assignment
• Work on laptops on Hero's Journey assignment

Long-term HW:

• Work on Hero's Journey project.  (Due Monday, 9.16.2019.  Submit via Google Drive.)

Day 6:  Thursday, 9.5.2019

Agenda:

• Questions from yesterday
• "Return" stage of the journey
• Additional Video Clips:
• E.T. Bike Scene
• Goonies Elixir Scene
• Prison Break Season 1 Trailer
• Share and work on graphic organizer

Tonight's HW:

• Complete blocks 9-12 of the hero's journey graphic organizer

Day 5:  Wednesday, 9.4.2019

Agenda:

• Questions from yesterday
• "Initiation" stage of the journey
• Share and work on graphic organizer

Tonight's HW:

• Complete blocks 5-8 of the hero's journey graphic organizer.

Day 4:  Tuesday, 9.3.2019

Agenda:

• What do you know about the hero's journey?
• Two video clips
• Finding Joe documentary trailer
• Matrix and the Monomyth analysis
• The "Separation Stage" of the journey

Tonight's HW:

• Complete the first four blocks of the hero's journey graphic organizer.

Day 3:  Thursday, 8.29.2019

Agenda:

• Summer Reading In-Class Essay
• write 5 paragraphs
• quiz grade

Tonight's HW:

• No homework for the weekend!

Day 2:  Wednesday, 8.28.2019

Agenda:

• Collect parent/guardian forms
• Collect surveys
• Share name history (and submit HW)
• Review summer reading essay prompts

Homework:

• Prepare for tomorrow's in-class summer reading essay by completing graphic organizer.

Day 1:  Tuesday, 8.27.2019

Agenda:

• Goals
• Syllabus
• Survey

Homework:

• Write one paragraph about the history/meaning of your name.
• Get parent form signed.

Upcoming:

• Summer reading in-class essay on Thursday, 8.28.2019

Click on the English 10 Unit Plans link to find more information (including downloadable handouts and presentations) for each of the following units:

• English 10 Introductory Material
• Hero's Journey Unit
• Beowulf (and Ragnar)
• PSAT Preparation
• MacBeth