"A child doesn't have to be the best...but all people should be given the opportunity...And when some shy, small boy somewhere gets a chance...who knows what can happen, what heights to which he might rise?  If he is dedicated enough, talented enough, strong enough, he might just do things...that no one has ever seen before...And maybe this would be just the beginning."  - Oscar Robertson

Daily Agenda and Objectives

Day 177:  Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Download final exam Jeopardy review game here.

Day 176:  Monday, June 24, 2013

Catcher in the Rye motif sheet and final discussion

Day 175:  Friday, June 21, 2013

Curriculum Questions with Ms. Stevens

Day 174:  Thursday, June 20, 2013

Curriculum Questions with Ms. Stevens

Day 173:  Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Catcher activities

Day 172:  Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Catcher in the Rye, chapters 16 & 17

Today's Goals:

• To rate Holden's degree of loneliness.
• To continue to evaluate Holden's character throgh the lens of psychoanalytical literary criticism.

Today's Agenda:

• HONORS:
  • Review ch. 6-15 vocab words we don't know
  • Complete loneliness scale test for Holden.  Discuss.
  • Discuss tickets out from yesterday - is Holden stressed or depressed?
  • Small groups:  complete questions for chapters 16 & 17
  • Large group:  discuss chapters 16 & 17 in a circle
  • Small groups:  Work on Holden case study
• STANDARD:
  • Review ch. 6-15 vocab words we don't know
  • Complete loneliness scale tst for Holden.  Discuss.
  • Complete ch. 16 & 17 questions queitly on your own.
  • Large group:  discuss chapters 16 & 17 in a circle
  • Reading aloud:  Begin reading and discussing chapter 18 aloud.

Tonight's HW (all classes):

• Read and annotate ch. 18-20.

Day 171:  Monday, June 17, 2013 

Catcher in the Rye, chapters 13-15

Today's Announcements:

• Summer Reading List
• Discuss Due Dates for Upcoming Assignments

Today's Goals:

• To analyze Holden's continued development as a character.
• To determine whether Holden is stressed or depressed.

Today's Agenda:

• Chapter 13-15 Discussion Questions
  • Honors:  In small groups
  • Standard:  On your own, then in groups
• Circle Discussion
• Chapter 6-15 Vocabulary
• Is Holden stressed or depressed?
  • Small groups

Homework:

• Read and analyze chapters 16 and 17.

Day 170:  Friday, June 14, 2013

Catcher in the Rye, chapters 10-12

Today's Goals:

• To analyze the development of Holden's character - in particular how the other supporting characters develop his character.

Today's Agenda (Honors):

• Small groups
  • Complete 10-12 chapter discussion questions
  • Work on Holden case study
• Large group discussion in circle
• Begin reading chapter 13

Today's Agenda (Standard):

• Do Now:  Focused reading of chapters 10-12; silently review the chapters and answer 10-12 discussion questions
• Small groups:  confer and collaborate on 10-12 discussion questions
• Large group discussion in circle
• NOTE:  THIS FORMAT WORKED VERY WELL FOR THE STANDARD LEVEL GROUP.  CONTINUE WITH THIS ROUTINE.

This Weekend's HW (all classes):

• Read and annotate chapters 13-15 in Catcher

Day 169:  Thursday, June 13, 2013

Catcher in the Rye, chapters 7-9

• Day 5 lesson
• Option:  motif sheet or case study sheet

Day 168:  Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Catcher in the Rye, chapters 5 and 6

Goal: 

• To examine the impact of Allie's death on Holden.

Agenda:

• Do Now:  Write the composition that Holden writes for Stradlater (about Allie's baseball glove)
• Read "Experiencing Death as an Adolescent"
• Discuss Allie's character and the impact his death has on Holden.
• You could potentially add to the case study sheet, focusing on the impact of Allie's death
• Anything else Ms. Stevens might have planned

Homework:

• Read and annotate chapters 7-9

Day 167:  Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Catcher in the Rye, chapters 3 and 4

Goal:

• To analyze the direct and indirect characterization of some of the novel's supporting characters.

Agenda:

• Big Paper or Small Groups on supporting characters
• Present Out and discuss on Chapters 3 and 4
• Discuss Holden as an unreliable narrator
• Anything Ms. Stevens might have planned

Homework:

• Read chapters 5 and 6

Day 166:  Monday, June 10, 2013

Catcher in the Rye, chapters 1 and 2

Goal:

• To approach analysis of Holden from a psychological perspective and to begin to define his three levels of personality.

Agenda:

• Discussion, chapter 1 and 2
• Use discussion questions in binder - students can complete them alone, in groups, or in the large group
• Introduce concept of unreliable narrator
• Work on "case study"
• Anything else Ms. Stevens might have planned

Homework:

• Read and annotate chapters 3 and 4 of Catcher.

Day 165:  Friday, June 7, 2013

Period 4 (Honors): 

Goal:

• To review grammar (parts of speech). 
• To provide a rhetorical analysis of a historical speech.

Agenda:

• Quiet Do Now:  Independently complete grammra work - exercise A on p. 99.
• Quickly review grammar answers and concepts.  Make sure everyone knows what the parts of speech are.
• Have students quietly read and annotate JFK's speech (on p. 10 and 11 of this file)
• Have students get in groups to discuss rhetoric, structure, and main idea of this piece
• In large group, have students share their findings and create three "talking points" that provide an analysis
• Bonus time:  outside reading

Homework:

• Read and annotate chapters 1 and 2 of Catcher.

Period 5 (Standard):

Goal:

• To learn about conjunctions and interjections.
• To be able to identify all of the parts of speech.

Agenda:

• Teach lesson on p. 95 of grammar book
• Have students complete exercise 19 on p. 96.  Review.
• Have students complete exercise 21 on p. 97 and exercise A on p. 99.  Review.
• If you want, you can play some of the Grammar Rock songs from the Schoolhouse Rock DVD (in my desk)
• Bonus time:  Outisde Reading

Homework:

• Read and annotate chapters 1 and 2 of Catcher.

Day 164:  Thursday, June 6, 2013

Catcher in the Rye intro day

Goal:

• To introduce themes and background of Catcher in the Rye.

Agenda:

• Agree/disagree discussion
• Intro PPT.
• Read and annotate and discuss review
• Begin reading chapter 1

Homework:

• For tomorrow, bring in your grammar book and outside reading book.
• For Monday, read and annotate chapters 1 and 2 of Catcher

Day 163:  Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Announcements:

• Looking ahead
• Hand back portfolios
• Sign out Catcher

Goal:

• To analyze songs in the ballad form.
• To write our own ballad

Agenda:

• Students presents and analyze ballads of their own choice.
• If time allows, students can write their own ballad and share (hnd in for formative assessment)

Homework:

• Long-term:  Due Monday - read chapters 1-2 of Catcher

Day 162:  Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Goal:

• To assess the skills we praacticed during our ballad unit (analyzing theme, literary device, ballad form, etc.)

Agenda:

• Ballad test

Homework:

• Be prepared to present a song (in the ballad form) to the class tomorrow)

Day 161:  Monday, June 3, 2013

Goal:

• To analyze songs in the ballad form.

Agenda:

• Students presents and analyze ballads of their own choice.
• Test review

Homework:

• Study for ballad test

Day 160:  Friday, May 31, 2013

Today's Goal:

• To analyze poems in the ballad form.

Today's Agenda:

• Hurricane
• Times They are A-Changing
• Blowin' in the Wind
• Outisde Reading

This Weekend's HW:

• ID your own choice of a song (ballad) that you would like to present to the class on Monday or Wednesday.  Be ready to analyze it from a literary standpoint.

Day 159:  Thursday, May 30, 2013

Pair and share HW

HONORS ONLY:  Frankie and Johnny

All Along the Watchtwoer

Hard Rain vs. Lond Randal

Today's HW:

Start to think about a song that you would like to play the class on Monday or Wednesday.  Bring in your outisde reading book tomorrow.  Ballad test on Tuesday.

Day 158:  Wednesday, May 29, 2103

Piano Man

Long Black Veil

Scarborough Fair

Today's HW:

Write a response (multi-paragraph honors, single paragraph standard) about why one of the poems today constitutes a work in the ballad form.

Day 157:  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

An Introduction to Ballads

Today's Objective: To learn about the ballad form and to learn to use scansion marks.

Honors:  submit Wilde research essay, Standard:  submit 3 paragraph response to rhetoric in a speech

An Introduction to the Ballad Form

Chevy Chase stanza, Green Eggs and Ham, and Scansion

The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle

• Download handout here.

• Play video here.

Tonight'sHomework:

Use scansion marks to note stressed and unstressed syllables in Amazing Grace. Write one paragraph about other ways that Amazing Grace functions as a ballad.

Day 156:  Friday, May 24, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Goal:

• To analyze how rhetorical devices contribute meaning.
• To synthesize informatin from a variety of sources.

Today's Agenda:

• Small Groups:  Review postcal service AP packet, discuss how to group (use last week's ticket out the door), outline a 5 paragraph essay with 3 talking points
• Share ideas with group
• Outisde reading
• This weekend's HW:
• Finish Earnest essay.
• For Wednesday:  40 min. writing on AP postal service questions (outlined today in callss)

STANDARD

Today's Goal:

• To analyze how rhetorical devices cotnribute meaning.

Today's Agneda:

• Kal Penn's speech
• Deval Patricks's speech
• Barack Obama's speech
• Respond to each with a list of rhetorical devices used, discuss and list on board
• End of class:  Begin writing a three paragraph response or do outside reading

This weekend's HW:

• Finsih your three paragraph response to one of the speeches from today.).  As you listen (1) ID rhteoic and (2) score according to the school-wide rubric.
• Discuss effectiveness of speech, focusing in particular on rhetorical analysis and scoring according to the rubric.
• Ticket to Leave:  One way the rhetoric/structure was effective.

Homework:

• Honors:  Work on research essay (due Friday)
• Standard:  Read outside reading book

Week of 6/3:  Catcher

Week of 5/27:  Canterury Tales?

Plans for next week:

• Tuesday-Thursday:  examine classic speeches (different ones for honors vs. standard); comment on rhetoric; score according to school-wide rubric
• Friday:  honors - AP question 1 (use last week's ticket out to work on grouping), submit and present Wilde essay, day 2, standard - grammar and outside reading

Day 151:  Friday, May 17, 2013

HONORS:

Friday's Honors Goals:

• To prepare for the expectations of junior year teachers by working on research and synthesis.
• To practice research skills for our Wilde essay.
• W.9-10.8:  Students will gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources.  Students will follow a standard format for citation.

Friday's Honors Agenda:

• Quiet Do Now:  Review documents from 2012 AP test, question 1(re: postal service).  Begin to highlight and annotate.  Just get familiar with them.
• Small Group Jigsaw:  Divide class into seven groups (to correspond with each source).  Each group writes on big paper three things:  (1) main idea of the source, (2) a plan for how you would use it to support your assertion in the essay, (3) a particular quote with an appropiate set-up
• Present Out Jigsaw
• Discuss "grouping" and "philosophy of research" - just like yesterday.  Discuss how to group sources to support three talking points.  What would your three talking points be?
• Touch base on where we are going with this essay assignment.  Touch base on where we are going with the Wilde reseach essay assignment.
• Outside Reading
• Bonus Time:  Callie and Brennan's video presentations
• Ticket Out:  3 talking points for AP essay

Friday's Honors HW:

• Work on essay.

STANDARD:

Friday's Standard Goals:

• To work on standard English conventiosn.
• To score our essay according to a rubric.
• To examine mentor texts for poster project.

Friday's Standard Agenda:

• Quiet Do Now:  Personalized Grammar Sheet.
• Review first half of grammar sheet; hand in other half for formative assessment.
• Self-assessment
  • Score and comment on your own essay with the school-wide rubric.
• Turn and Talk:  Share and comment on essay
• Present essay ideas and submit essays (Read some aloud.)
• Examine sample posters )as "mentor texts" or models)
• Work on graphic organizer to plan your visual aid
• Ticket Out:  What format will you use for your poster?  What is your plan for creating it?

Friday's Standard HW:

• Create poster from your graphic organizer.

Day 150:  Thursday, May 16, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Goals:

• W.9-10.8:  Students will gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources.  Students will follow a standard format for citation.

Today's Agenda:

• Quiet Do Now:  Add to whaat you have written (outline, paragraph, annotated bibliography)
• Turn and Talk:  Share what you have written
  • Give your partner feedback, particularly about structuring your essay around three talking poitns.
• Present out ideas:  Maddie, Kelly, Deborah, Raveena, and others
  • Discuss how they are grouping and discuss philosophy of research
• Small Groups:  COLLABORATE to research; scour texts (my college texts, as well as the textbook), work on annotated bibliography, work on grouping
• Come out to a large group wrap-up discussion about where we stand and how we are using the sources
• Ticket to Leave:  How are you using and grouping the sources?

Tonight's HW:

• Keep working on the essay, including doing a bit of research yourself (remember we wnt at least 5 sources)
• Bring in outside reading book

STANDARD:

Today's Goals:

• To work on writing a well-structured essay.
• To revise our work to include more textual evidence and quotes.

Today's Agenda:

• Quiet Do Now:
  • Revise and comment on paragraphs from yesterday's ticket out
• Review paragraphs and revisions on overhead
• Small groups - work on essays (three goals):
  • Flesh out outlines/organizers
  • Write paragaphs
  • Provide feedback according to rubric (school-wide rubric fo writing)
• Quiet Writing
• Share Writing
• Ticket to Leave
  • What is your plan for improving the essay tonight?  (Keep this ticket for yur reference tonight)

Tonight's HW:

• Final draft of essay due tomorrow.
• Bring in outside reading book.
• Poster due Monday.

Day 149:  Wednesday, May 15, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Goals:

• To examine a mentor text and identify why it represents good writing (according to the College Board rubric).
• W.9-10.8:  Students will gather relevant information from mulptiple authoritative print and digital sources.  Students will follow a standard format for citation.

Today's Agenda:

• FIRST HALF - FINAL AP REVIEW
• Quiet Do Now:  Read and score a sample student essay from the website.  Articulate what makes it an effective essay, including what elements you would like to include in your own essay.  (Download link to student sample here - essay 1A - pages 7-10)
• Discuss student sample.  What do you think it earned on a 9 point scale?
• Present DBQ question from 2011 (re:  Elizabeth).  Present bullet points for scoring.
• Small Groups:  Read sources (nonfiction informational texts - see link above).  Articulate main idea.  Create logical groupings.
• Discuss groupings.   Ticket to leave:  one thing you will incroporate from the mentor text in your DBQ essay today.
• SECOND HALF - WORK ON OSCAR WILDE RESEARCH PAPER
• Regroup for new focus - working on Oscar Wilde paper
• Return to small groups to scour sources, ID main idea, write paragraphs for annotated bib (encourage students to explore print sources from yesterday as well as books)
• Quiet paragraph writing
• Share and discuss paragraphs
• Ticket to leave:  How are you going to incorporate these sources?

Tonight's HW:

• Have something to share with a peer editor tomorrow - an outline, an intro paragraph, some of the annotated bib, etc.

STANDARD:

Today's Goals:

• To work on topic sentence/thesis.
• To work on structuring the arguement of well-planned essay.

Today's Agenda:

• QDN:  Revise topic sentence/thesis using this handout.
• Discuss suggestiosn and revisions on overhead
• Return to small groups
  • continue to work on outline
  • challenge:  find a quote
• Quiet paragraph writing
  • For your ticket out, write a paragraph using a quote.  We'll review these in tomorrow's do now.

Tonight's HW:

• Bring in a draft of your essay.  For extra credit, email it to me also.  Extension on poster until Monday.

Ideas for Thursday:

HONORS:

• Quiet Do Now:  Examine what a peer has written, give some feedback, PSP (look for structured argument)
• Work on structured grouping (show sample from AP - at least reference AP)
• Show my annotated bib
• Scour sources
• Quiet writing, practicing embedding quotes
• Workshopping

STANDARD:

•  See below.  Add to it silent writing.

Day 148:  Tuesday, May 14, 2013

HONORS

Today's Goal:

• W.9-10.8:  Students will gather relevant information from mulptiple authoritative print and digital sources.  Students will follow a standard format for citation.

Today's Agenda:

• Quiet Do Now:  Return to your work from yesterday.  Finish the paragraph you were writing ofr your annotted bibliography (about Literry 100)
• Share several paragraphs from practice annotated bibliography.  Discuss what makes the paragaphs good for an annotated bibliography.  Review proper MLA citation for Literary 100.  Discuss how we might use that as a potential source.
• Present the following sources for students to scour in small groups:
  • Complete Works of Oscar Wilde
  • Longman Anthology of British Literature
  • Genius
  • How to Read and Why
  • One Internet Source
• Quiet Paragraph Writing (Summary for Annotated Bibliography and/or a paragraph including the quote)
• Share Paragraphs
• Bonus Time:  Callie and Brennan present

Tonight's HW:

• Work on essay (due week of 5/20)

STANDARD

Today's Goal:

• To work on structuring the argument of a well-planned essay.

Today's Agenda:

• Quiet do-now:  review your essay from the test. ID ways to incorporate it into your essay
• Turn and talk with a partner about these ideas
• Report out - ID very particular details and list on board
• On your own/with a partner/in small groups  add these connections to your prewriting from yesterday.  You can use your three-tiered poster graphic organizer for this purpose.  Write topic sentences for each
• Have students share these topic sentences on the board and workshop them.
• Ticket Out:  Write me one of your topic sentences on a slip of paper.

Tonight's HW:

• Work on outline or intro for paragraph.

Day 147:  Monday, May 13, 2013

HONORS

Today's Goal:

• W.9-10.8:  Students will gather relevant information from mulptiple authoritative print and digital sources.  Students will follow a standard format for citation.

Today's Agenda:

• Quiet do now:  Journal about what an annotated bibliopgraphy is and what your experiences are with those
• Finish comedy project presentations
• Review Bow-Fly style essay prompt
• Review concept of and mentor text for annotated bibliography (use Cassidy LeBert's bibliography)
• Model appropriate citations for The Literary 100 and Earnest using OWL website as a guide
• Small groups:
  • Scout 3 sources (Literary 100, Earnest text, Earnest movie) for relevant quotes and info
  • Write an annotated bibliography for these three sources
• Ticekt to Leave: What is one useful way you will incorporate one of these sources?

Tonight's HW:

• No homework due tomorrow.  Be ready for Math MCAS!

STANDARD

Today's Goal:

• To examine a mentor text and to use it as a guide for our own writing.

Today's Agenda:

• Quiet do now:  Read Jimmy Conlon's mentor text, ID at least 3 take-awys taht make it a good piece of writing
• Turn and talk with one partner about the piece's strengths.  Can you ID any weaknesses?  (be sure to refer back to the prompt to make sure it answers all elements)
• Discuss with the large group - put essay on overhead
• Begin pre-writing by listing your own ideas (Feel free to use graphic organizer - we'll use it more tomrorow)
• Ticket Out:  what are you writing about and what are your 3 connections

Tonigh'ts HW:

• No homework due tomorrow.  Be ready for Math MCAS!

What's on tap for next week?

HONORS:

Monday, May 13:  Breen lesson from last year's day 161:  a quiet do now on the board as they enter, finish movie clips, review concept of and mentor text for annotated bibliography, review MLA format for citation on OWL website, model annotated bibliography for Literary 100 and The Importance of Being Earnest, Small Groups (working with Ambrose-provided research sources)

Tuesday, May 14:  a quiet do now on the board, carry over small group work from yesterday,workshop on sources and implementing quotes, continue to examine sources and work on how to incorporate them and really use them in support of our assertions, do a little quiet paragraph writing, peer revision 

Wednesday, May 15:  First half - a quiet do now on the board (examine a mentor text?), English literacy of nonfictional informational texts on the AP exam, how to outline essays on the AP exam, DBQ skills:  small groups sort and "group," present out - 2012, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2003, 2001 - these are not done), Second half - Quiet workshopping of students' use of sources with remaining students.  (HW:  Typed draft of essay in MLA format)

Thursday, May 16:  Peer revision stations or Intro speech day (Peer revisions stations would be great preparation for B0w-Fly's class), start with a quiet do now of peer revision, do peer revision stations, examine a mentor text and workshop together - this mentor text was emailed to me for extra credit the previous night), write a ticket out to your friend about his essay

Friday, May 17:  a quiet do now on the baord, AP question 1 from 2012, outside reading, you know how you'll do it in small groups - 7 groups, each representing a source 

STANDARD:

Monday, May 13, 2013

• Quiet do-now:  read Jimmy Conlon's mentor text, ID at least 3 take-aways that make it a good piece
• Turn and talk with one partner about the piece's strengths.  Can you ID any weaknesses?  (be sure to refer back to the prompt to make sure it answers all elements)
• Discuss with the large group - put essay on overhead
• Begin pre-writing by listing your own ideas
• Ticket Out:  what are you writing about and what are your 3 connections
• No HW due to MCAS

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

• Quiet do-now:  review your essay from the test. ID ways to incorporate it into your essay
• Turn and talk with a partner about these ideas
• Report out - ID very particular details and list on board
• On your own/with a partner/in small groups  add these connections to your prewriting from yesterday.  You can use your three-tiered poster graphic organizer for this purpose.  Write topic sentences for each
• Have students hare these topic sentences on the board and workshop them.
• Ticket Out:  Write me one of your topic sentences on a slip of paper.
• HW:  Work on outline or intro

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

• Quiet do-now:  Examine what you have so far.  ID where you need some textual support.
• Discuss where you need textual support with large group. 
• In small groups, scour the text for some quotes from Earnest to support.  Scour the bio of Wilde for at least one quote from a secondary source
• How to incorporate a quote.  Let's practice.  Model on the overhead; have the kids take it down.  Have them ID their topic secne and their qutoe; work together with them to create a transition.
• Examine mentor posters.  Can we quote our favorite movie on our poster?  So can we therefore include our favorite movie quotes in our essay?
• Review peer revision sheet (we'll work with this tomorrow) 
• Ticket Out:  Write me one of the qutoes you found that you will use.
• HW:  Bring in a typed draft of your essay.  Try to see if you can add some quotes from your movie to create a balanced piece For extra credit, email me a copy so we can use it for workshopping.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

• Quiet do-now:  Review the school-wide rubric for writing.  Swap your essay with a partner (or score your own) according to this rubric.  Revise using yesterday's peer revision sheet.
• Workshop someone's essay (Adam or Ali or Diego or Devin or John or Chanel or Caleah) on the overhead.
• Writing stations, but with assigned leaders and assigned groups - possible leaders:  Gio, Ali, Joy, Adam, Chanel, Dan, Giana, Duphta
• Ticket Out:  Write one way that you improved your essay today.
• HW:  Final copy of the essay + poster

Friday, May 17, 2013

• Quiet do-now:  Take out your paper.  Take out your rubric.  Examine your paper, according to the rubric, and write a process piece about it - a reflection that details your process and how you think you did according to the rubric.
• Present and submit essays and posters
• Grammar
• Outside reading
• Ticket to leave:  Feedback to someone who presented.

Day 146:  Friday, May 10, 2013

ALL CLASSES:

Today's Goal:

• To assess what we have learned during our Importance of Being Earnest unit.

Today's Agenda:

• Do now (STANDARD ONLY):  Finish clippage of movie
• Earnest test
• Read outside reading book
• Bonus time (HONORS ONLY):  Comedy presentations (If we don't get to this, we'll finigh on Monday)

This weeekend's HW:

• GET READY FOR THE MATH MCAS!

Day 145:  Thursday, May 9, 2013

PERIOD 4 (HONORS)

Today's Goal:

• To make connections between the satire/comedy of a modern movie and that of Earnest.

Today's Agenda:

• Present posters (with clippage for extra credit)
• Test review

Tonight's HONORS Homework:

• Study for Earnest test.

PERIOD 5 (STANDARD)

Today's Goal:

• To analyze a film adaptation.
• To review for a test.

Today's Agenda:

• Finish clippage of Earnest
• Complete guided questions
• Test review

Tonight's STANDARD Homework:

• Study for Earnest test.
• Long-term:  Comedy poster and essay assignment due Friday, 5/17

Day 144:  Wednesday, May 8, 2013

• Honors:  Finish watching video, review and submit guided viewing questions
• Standard:  Watch film, fill out guided viewing sheet

Day 143:  Tuesday, May 7, 2013

PERIOD 4 (HONORS)

Today's Goal:

• To analyze multiple interpretations of the same text.

Today's Agenda:

• Watch video (from :24 to 1:07)
• Complete discussion questions
• Ticket to leave

Today's HW (Period 4):

• Work on comedy poster and essay (due Thursday - note deadline extension)
• Study for Earnest test (Friday)

PERIOD 5 (STANDARD)

Today's Goal:

• To review a school-wide rurbic for an upcoming assignment.
• To read and analyze a Victorian era satire.
• To analyze a film adaptation.

Today's Agenda:

• Discuss HW and project rubric
• Finish reading Act 3
• Answer Act 3 questions all together
• Begin film (first 10 minutes) and Ticket to Leave

Today's HW (Period 5):

• Begin studying for Earnest test (Friday, 5/10)
• Begin working on brainstorming for comedy essay and project (Friday, 5/17)

Day 142:  Monday, May 6, 2013

PERIOD 4 (HONORS)

Today's Goals:

• To present the remainder of our videos and score them acording to the school-wide rubric.
• To analyze multiple interpretations of a drama (e.g. regcorded proeduction of a play), evaluating how each version interprets the source text.

Today's Agenda:

• Finish presenting video projects
• Watch first half of Earnest video
• Complete guided viewing sheet
• Ticket to Leave

Tonight's HW (HONORS):

• Work on comedy poster/essay assignment (due Wednesday 5/8).

PERIOD 5 (STANDARD)

Today's Goals: 

• To present the remainder of our videos and posters, and score them according to the school-wide rubric.
• To analyze a work of Victorian Age satire.

Today's Agenda:

• Finish presenting vieo and poster projects.
• Read Act 3 of Earnest
• Answer guiding questions
• Ticket to Leave

Tonight's HW (STANDARD):

• Brainstorm any similarities between Earnest and the comedy of your choice.

Day 141:  Friday, May 3, 2013

Today's Goals:

• To assess our understanding of The Importance of Being Earnest, with a particular focus on the concept of the blocking figure.
• To present our poster and video projects to the class.  (These will be asessed using the school-wide rubric.)

Today's Agenda:

• The Importance of Being Earnestquiz (play clip from Meet the Parents first)
• Outside Reading
• Poster and Video presentations
• Ticket to Leave

This Weekend's HW:

• Honors:  Work on comedy poster and essay (due Wednesday)
• Standard:  Go online to read summaries of Act 3 of The Importance of Being Earnest.  Put it in you own words.  For extra credit, before you do this, write a prediction of what will happen and see how close you can come.

Day 140:  Thursday, May 2, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Goals:

• Discuss a work of Victorian era literature with a particular focus on the asll-inclusive resolution.
• Review expectations for upcoming essay/project.

Today's Agenda:

• Act 3 - act out latter half and discuss
• What makes the resolution all-inclusive?
• Review elements of comedy and rubric for project/essay
• Brainstorm in groups (and Fae checks HW)

Tonight's HW:

• Study for Earnest quiz.
• Be prepared to prsent project.
• Bring in outside readign book.
• Comedy essay and poster (due 5/8).

STANDARD:

Today's Goals:

• Discuss a work of Victorian era literature.

Today's Agenda:

• Share and submit writing prompts
• Read and discuss Act 2
• Answer Act 2 discussion questions

Tonights HW:

• Study for Earnest quiz.
• Be prepared to prsent project.
• Bring in outside readign book.

Day 139:  Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Today's Goals:

• Respond in writing to themes of the text.
• Read and analyze a work of the Victorian Age.

Today's Agenda:

• Small Groups:
  • Honors:  Answer Act 2 questions, share Act 2 writing prompts
  • Standard:  Answer Act 1 questions, share Act 1 writing prompts
• Discuss questions; share and submit writing
• Begin reading and discuss
  • Honors:  Act 3
  • Standard:  Act 2

Tonight's HW:

• Honors:  Finish reading Act 3 of the play (online).  Note how the end could be considered an "all-inclusive resolution."
• Standard:  Free write on one of the Act 2 writing prompts.

Day 138:  Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Today's Goal:

• Submit video for grading.
• Respond in writing to themes of the text.
• Read and analyze a work of literature.

Today's Agenda:

• Hand in project
• Do Now:  Journal
  • Honors:  writing prompts - Act 2
  • Standard:  writing prompts - Act 1
• Read and discuss play
  • Honors:  finish Act 2 (day 2 of 2)
  • Standard:  finish Act 1 (day 3 of 3)
• Answer questions - on tap for tomorrow

Tonight's HW:

• Formalize today's free write.  Goal:  one page.  Connect to text.  Add quotes.
  • Honors:  Act 2 prompts
  • Standard:  Act 1 prompts

On tap for Monday...

• Honors - Finish portfolio reflection, work on project, read first half of Act 2
• Standard - Work on project, continue reading Act 1
• HW:  All classes - finish propaganda project

Day 136:  Friday, April 26, 2013

Today's Goals:

• Honors - Analyze a Victorian-era satire.
• Learn to identify a part of speech.
• Assess our work from quarter 3
• Read! 

Today's Agenda:

• Honors - Finish Act 1, review questions
• Grammar!   (Prepositions)
  • Review Preposition definition
  • Listen to preposition song
  • Complete exercises
• Portfolio reflection (standard only today)
• Outside reading

This Weekend's HW:

• Work on Animal Farm project
  • Honors - video project with reference to Russian Revolution
  • Standard - poster project

Day 135:  Thursday, April 25, 2013

Today's Honors Agenda:

• Work on Animl Farm project
• Act out Act 1 of Earnest
• Discuss as we read

Today's Standard Agenda:

• Ethics Bowl Assembly with Tufts Grad Students

Day 134:  Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Today's Agenda:

• Work on Animal Farm project
• Discuss and check HW (TV show comedy)
• Begin reading Act 1 of Earnest
• Use Guiding questions

Day 133:  Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Today's Announcements:

• Check iStudent for up-to-date grades
• Check email if you emailed me assignments
• Hand back work

Today's Goals:

• To learn about Oscar Wilde's biography.
• To identify types of comedy.

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now:  Read excerpt from Literary 100 and discuss (annotate, highlight, ID three talking points, etc.)
• Definition - whata is comedy? (brainstorm individually and write definition on board)
• Read through handout 5:  8 types of comedy
• Clippage
  • Farcical Comedy:  Napoleon Dynamite.
  • Sentimental Comedy:  The Grinch.
  • Burlesque Comedy:  Fresh Prince.
• Work on video projects

Tonight's HW:

• Watch 2 TV shows.
• Fill out graphic organizer.

Day 132:  Monday, April 22, 2013

Today's Announcements:

• Check iStudent for grade updates
• Period 4 - visitor in class tomorrow
• Return Animal Farm books

Today's Goals:

• To learn about life in the Victorian Age.
• To work on Animal Farm projects

Today's Agenda:

• Hand back work
• Victorian Age notes.
• Work in groups on Animal Farm project

Tonight's HW:

• Ongoing:  Work on Animal Farm project

Day 131:  Friday, April 12, 2013

• Outside reading
• Review exam results
• Review Animal Farm project rubric
• Share and submit Animal Farm essays

Day 130:  Thursday, April 11, 2013

Today's Announcements:

• All make-up work should be in by tomorrow
• Revisions may be sent to me over break via email
• Let's wrap up extra credit songs tomorrow

Today's Goal:

• To summatively assess the skills thatw e practed during quarter 3.

Today's Agenda:

• Quarter 3 Exam

Tonight's HW:

• Animal Farm Essay
• Bring in grammar book and outside reading book

Day 129:  Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Today's Announcements:

• GSA Day of Silence and Dialogue
• Extra credit songs?

Today's Goals:

• To review for our exam.
• To discuss the theme/message/moral of Animal Farm.

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now:  Review the last few pages of Animal Farm, write a paragraph about what Orwell's moral is, discuss
• Small Groups:  Review HW (ch. 9 questions), complete review sheet (to go along with Jeopardy game), HW check
• Review exam format
  • vocab
  • grammar
  • nonfiction informational texts (Fencing, The Things They Carried)
  • Animal Farm
  • satire
  • propaganda
• Jeopardy Review! (Animal Farm)

Tonight's HW:

• Prepare for tomorrow's exam
• Work on essay due Friday (Honors - re:  allegory, Standard - re:  leadership)

Day 128:  Monday, April 8, 2013

Today's Goals: 

• To examine allegorical symbolism.
• To analyze plot and character development.

Today's Agenda:

• Russian Revolution PPT 2
• Small Groups:  Ch. 8 Questions (and HW check)
• Discuss Ch. 8; Discuss essay expectations
• Honors:  Casey's song
• Standard:  Drew's propaganda

Tonight's HW:

• All classes:  Read ch. 9; answer questions
• Due Friday:  Animal Farm Essay
  • Honors:  Explanation of the allegory
  • Standard:  Rise to leadership of a character

Day 127:  Friday, April 5, 2013

• Vocabulary Quiz
• Grammar 4.3 and 4.4
• Outside Reading

This weekend's HW:

• Read and annotte ch. 8 of Animal Farm

Day 126:  Thursday, April 4, 2013

Today's Announcements:

• @misterambrose
• extra credit song
• exam schedule

Today's Agenda:

• Analyze propaganda
• Examine and determine word meanings
• Review plot, character, allegory

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now:  Honors: extra credit song, Standard: small groups finish propaganda sheet
• Review propaganda handout from yesterday
• In-context vocab
• Questions ch. 5-7
• Propaganda
  • Stalin's propaganda
  • Your own examples

Today's HW:

• Study for vocab quiz

Day 125:  Wednesday, April 3, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Goals:

• To define propaganda and to identify various types of propaganda.

Today's Agenda:

• Reyna plays her theme song
• Anatomy of your Enemy - read lyrics, discuss connections to Russian Revolution and Animal Farm
• Propaganda Notes
• Small Group:  Propaganda handout

Today's Homework:

• Bring in an example of propaganda.
• Write a response explaining the propaganda.

STANDARD:

Today's Goals:

• To discuss allegorical symbolism. 
• To ID various types of propaganda.

Today's Standard Agenda:

• Finish yesterday's notes
• Review chapter 5 discussion questions from yesterday
• Propaganda Notes
• Small groups:  ID propaganda

Today's Standard Homework:

• Read ch. 7.  Write notes.
• Extra credit:  Brign in an example of propaganda.

Day 124:  Tuesday, April 2, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Goals:

• Analyze allegorical symbolism in Animal Farm.

Today's Agenda:

• Russian Revolution Notes
• Small Groups:  Ch. 5 Discussion Questions
• Circle Discussion
  • plot and character development in ch. 4 and 5
  • allegorical symbolism in ch. 4 and 5

Tonight's HW:

• Read and annotate ch. 6 and 7.  Look for allegorical symbolism.

STANDARD:

Today's Goals:

• Read for understanding.
• Analyze allegorical symbolism in Animal Farm.

Today's Agenda:

• Circle
  • Discuss rules from yesterday - How do these rules reflect our values?
  • Discuss ch. 4
• Small Groups
  • Read ch. 5
  • Answer ch. 5 questions
• Allegory PPT notes

Tonight's HW:

•  Red ch. 6.  Write 5 bullet point notes using quotes (focus on symbolism).

Day 123:  Monday, April 1, 2013

Today's Announcements:

• @misterambrose
• Extra credit song

HONORS:

Today's Honors Goals:

• Review plot and character development.
• Write a speech employing rhetoric.

Today's Honors Agenda:

• Small Groups:  Answer questions on ch. 2 and ch. 3 handout
• Review ch. 2 and 3 as a large group
• Rhetoric review - review ethos, pathos, logos
• Write a speech in small groups from the perspective of one of the characters from the book.
• Share speeches

Today's Honors HW:

• Read and annotte ch. 4 and 5, with a focus on allegorical symbolism.

STANDARD:

Today's Standard Goals:

• Read for understanding.
• Determine our own set of rules.

Today's Standard Agenda:

• Do Now:  On your own - ch. 2 questions
• Discuss ch. 2 and check HW
• Read ch. 3 in a circle; use active reading strategies (and ch. 3 questions to guide our reding)
• Small groups:  come up with your own set of rules for your own society - your own 7 Commandments
• Submit rules for formative assessment

Today's Standard HW:

• Read ch. 4.  Write a bullet point summary of the battle.

Day 122:  Thursday, March 28, 2013

Today's Goal:

• L.9-10.1:  Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage.

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now:  Read and discuss New York Times grammar article
  • Honors:  Also, discuss HW - your experiences with grammar
• School House Rock
  • Both classes:  Nouns
  • Honors:  Additionally, pronouns
• Small Groups:  p. 80 Exercise 1 - identify nouns
  • Honors:  Review answers in large group
  • Standard:  Still need to review answers next week
• Outside reading
  • Standard:  Do this first

This Weekend's HW:

• HONORS:  Read and anotate chapters 2 and 3.
• STANDARD: Read chapter 2.  Write a bullet point summary.

Day 121:  Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Today's Goals:

• Discuss plot and character development.
• To compare "Beasts of England" to its historical precedence "The Internationale."

Today's Agenda:

• Ch. 1 Discussion
• Internationale vs. Beasts
• Honors:  small groups to ID comparisons (imagery, tone, theme, structure, diction, etc.); Standard:  individually quietly ID comparisons
• Discuss parallel texts (honors - go into more detail)
• Standard:  begin reading ch. 2

Tonight's HW:

• Honors:  Write a narrative about your experiences with grammar.
• All classes:  bring in grammar.

Day 120:  Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Today's Goals:

• Review some literary terms.
• Learn about Orwell's biography.
• Determine what makes a good leader.

Today's Agenda:

• MCAS Survey
• Review lit terms (satire, allegory, fable)
• Orwell introductory notes.
• Journal and discussion:  What makes a good leader?  When is it appropriate to take a leader out of power?

Tonight's HW (HONORS AND STANDARD):

• Read chapter 1 of Animal Farm.
• Answer discussion questions on this handout.

Day 119:  Monday, March 25, 2013

Honors does not meet today due to MCAS.

Standard:

• MCAS Survey
• Get into groups to ID two activities that would be good to do next year to prepare for MCAS.
• Satire videos - share and discuss - student choice

Day 118:  Friday, March 22, 2013

Today's Goal:

• What we do today may determine if we score proficient or advanced!  Let's work on long composition strategies!

Today's Agenda:

• How is the MCAS going so far?  Where do we stand in terms of points we still need to accumulate to get an advanced score?
• Review long composition strategies from Mr. Ambrose's sheet of final tips.
• Examine and dissect last year's MCAS long comp prompt(about a villain)
• Examine and dissect the introduction and the topic sentences from a student sample from the DESE website
  • use the projector 
  • spotlight hook, thesis, moving from general to specific, addressing the prompt, signposting, elevated diction, etc.
• Quick Individual Write
  • Outline and plan your essay (for villain prompt)
  • Go through pre-writing process and write introductory paragraph
• Peer revision
  • Get with a partner and share your introductory paragraph
  • Comment on what they can do better, and help them to add elevated vocabulary
• Share!
• Outside reading

This Weekend's Homework:

• Look at sample essays on DESE website
• Review essay prompts
• For SUPER MEGA LOTS OF EXTRA CREDIT, write one more practice long composition, based on any one of the prompts

Day 117:  Thursday, March 21, 2013

HONORS CLASS DOES NOT MEET TODAY (MCAS)

Today's Standard Goal:

• Half-time assessment of where we are with MCAS
• Refocus our MCAS efforts

Today's Standard Agenda:

• Personal Assessment Discussion:
  • What strategies are we using on the MCAS?
  • What strategies can we use tomorrow?
• Final poetry review
  • On projector, read together, analyze, and answer questions about "Latin Deli:  An Ars Poetica"
• Final drama review
  • On projector, read together, analyze, and answer questions about Henry V.

Tonight's STANDARD Homework:

• Continue to review for MCAS.  Get some sleep.

Download every MCAS exam since 2007 with answers!

Download Mr. Ambrose's final tips for MCAS success!

Download 15 MCAS long composition prompts!

Download info on how the test is scored!

Day 114:  Friday, March 15, 2013

Today's Goal:

• Final MCAS Tips

Today's Honors Agenda:

• Hand back work
• Review "Fencing" questions (HW from last night) and submit
• Review multiple choice for two poems on the overheada ("Frederick Douglass" and "Blizzard")
• Review long comp prompts from previous years.  What would you write about?
• Brainstorm ideas for your prompt or do outside reading.

Today's Standard Agenda:

• Hand back work
• Do Now:  Catch up on your MCAS work
  • Finish your Heart of Darkness open response, which we worked on yesterday.
  • Finish your Fencing open response, which was last night's HW
  • Outside reading
• Review long comp prompts from previous years.  (See above link.)  What would you write about?

HOMEWORK (ALL CLASSES):

Select one of the prompts from this list that pertain to a dynamic character.  Feel free to use this graphic organizer to aid in your writing.

Day 112:  Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Today's Goal:

• To work on our critical reading skills and paragraph writing skills.

Today's HONORS Agenda:

• Do Now:  Read The Things They Carried (from Spring 2011 MCAS)
• Examine mentor text of open response from DESE web site
• Review open response process
• Small group:  complete multiple choice and open response
• Review and correct; submit open response for formative assessment

Today's STANDARD Agenda:

• Read The Things They Carried all together
• Complete multiple choice all together
• Examine mentor text of open response from DESE web site
• Copy down mentor text from DESE website

Tonight's HW:

• Your own Modest Proposal essay.  Use the rubric. 

Day 111:  Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Today's Goal:

• Summative Assessment:  To assess our skills when it comes to analyzing satire.

Today's Agenda:

• Satire unit test

Tonight's Homework:

• Due Thursday:  Your own Modest Proposal paper

Day 110:  Monday, March 11, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Honors Goal:

• To work on examining vocabulary in context.
• To work on critical reading skills.
• To work on paragraph writing skills.

Today's Honors Agenda:

• Do Now:  In-context vocabulary for Modest Proposal
• Small Groups
  • Review AP questions
  • Review other multiple choice and open response questions
  • Write open response as a group (select one scribe)
• Review questions as a large group
• Distribute your own modest proposal rubric

Tonight's Honors Homework:

• Study for tomorrow's satire test
• Your own Modest Proposal due Wednesday

STANDARD:

Today's Standard Goal:

• To work on examining vocabulary in context.
• To work on critical reading skills.
• To work on paragraph writing skills.

Today's Standard Agenda:

• Do Now:  In-context vocabulary for Modest Proposal
• Review main ideas of Modest Proposal
• Small Groups
  • other multiple choice and open response questions (Princeton Review book)
  • write 3 talking points for open response
• Write paragraph open response all together on board
• Distribute your own modest proposal rubric

Tonight's Standard Homework:

• Study for tomorrow's satire test
• Your own Modest Proposal due Wednesday

Day 109:  Thursday, March 7, 2013

HONORS: 

Today's Honors Goals:

• To analyze rhetorical devices and structure of a classical argument satire essay.

Today's Honors Agenda:

• Initial questions
• Small groups:  complete analysis questions + HW check
• Circle discussion - discuss analysis questions and other talking points

Tonight's Honors HW:

• 10 AP-style questions about Modest Proposal.  Write a short explanation about why you feel your answer is correct.
• Also, bring in outside reading book.

STANDARD:

Today's Standard Goals:

• To work on our active reading strategies. 

Today's Standard Agenda:

• Discuss HW (brainstorm for a long composition prompt about a dynamic character)
• Review best practices for active reading
• Actively read Modest Proposal in a circle, pausing each paragraph to annotate and discuss

Tonight's Standard HW:

• Finish highlighting and annotating A Modest Proposal.  (Don't worry about the discussion questions - we'll do those tomorrow.)
• Also, bring in outside reading book.

Day 108:  Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Today's Goal:

• To ask, when does satire go too far?

Today's Agenda:

• HONORS:  Share and submit Eggplant satirical newspaper projects, STANDARD:  Share and submit political cartoon analysis
• Do Now:  Read New York Times article, write journal
• When does satire go too far?

Today's Handouts, etc.:

• Whendoes satire go too far handout
• When does satire go too farPPT
• New York Times articlehonors
• New York Times article standard

Tonight's Homework:

• HONORS:  Read, highlight, and annotate "A Modest Proposal"
• STANDARD:  Brainstoriming and outlining for a dynamic character prompt

Day 107:  Tuesday, March 5, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Honors Goal: 

• To analyze the difference between Horatian and Juvenalian satire.

Today's Honors Agenda:

• Return MCAS open response - Don't Burn Out
• Handout - Introduce difference beween Horatian and Juvenalian satiire
• Small groups:  read excerpts from Horace and Juvenal's satire and answer disussion questions
• Review questions
• Small group wrap up formative assessment:  write your own satire about different classes' dissatisfaction or the plight of the underpaid artist

Tonight's Homework:

• Finish Eggplant satirical newspaper assignment

STANDARD

Today's Standard Goals:

• To analyze poltical cartoons.

Today's Standard Agenda:

• Examine mentor test of top-scoring open response from 2009 MCAS - Don't Burn Out
• Redistribute open reponses; as a do now, have students silently write, asdding to what they wrote yesterday, resubmit
• Share and submit Eggplant project
• Political cartoon satire packet - complete and review

Today's Standard Homework:

• Bring in a political cartoon.  Write a one paragraph analysis of its messsage and the satirical techniques used.

Day 106:  Monday, March 4, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Honors Goals:

• To examine some clippage that addresses the role of satire.
• To analyze some political cartoons.

Today's Honors Agenda:

• Clippage and discussion on the following clips:
  • The role of satire.
  • Colbert on Capitol Hill.
  • Colbert in and out of character.
• Share and discuss political cartoon HW.

Tonight's Honors HW:

• Work on satirical newspaper project.  Due Wednesday.

STANDARD:

Today's Standard Goal:

• To practice critical reading and open response skills for MCAS.

Today's Standard Agenda:

• 15 min. reading it period - read "Don't Burn Out"
• Small groups:
  • Answer multiple choice
  • Plan out open response using graphic organizer
  • Write open response
• Large group:
  • Wrap up

Tonight's Standard HW:

• Finish satirical newspaper project.  Due tomorrow.

Day 105:  Friday, March 1, 2013

Today's Announcements:

• Writing contests
• Portfolio pieces
• SAT practice test
• MHS Mantra

HONORS:

Today's Honors Goal:

• To practice critical reading and open response skills for MCAS.

Today's Honors Agenda:

• 15 min. reading it period - read "Don't Burn Out"
• Small groups: 
  • Answer multiple choice
  • Plan out open response using graphic organizer
  • Write open response
• Large group:
  • Review multiple choice
  • Share mentor text from DESE site
• Outside reading or finish writing response; submit

This weekend's Honors HW:

• Bring in a political cartoon and write a brief analysis of the satirical techniques that are employed.

STANDARD:

To the computer lab to work on satire project!

Tonight's STANDARD HW:

• Work on Eggplant satire project (due Tuesday).
• Be sure to email it to yourself, so you can work during class in the lab tomorrow.

Day 104:  Thursday, February 28, 2013

Today's Announcements:

• Writing contests
• Portfolio pieces
• SAT practice test
• MHS Mantra

HONORS

Today's Goal:

• To return to our study of satire, with a focus on tone and political cartoons.

Today's Agenda:

• Esner's Intro to Satire Handout
  • First cartoon all together
  • Do the others individually for five minutes and review
• Political cartoons
  • Small groups - analyze and answer questions
  • Review with large group
• Read and discuss excerpt from "I Am Ameica and So Can You"
• Brainstorm ideas for satire project

Tonight's HONORS HW:

• Work on Eggplant satire project (due Tuesday).
• For Monday, bring in a political cartoon with an analysis.

STANDARD:

To the computer lab to work on satire project!

Tonight's STANDARD HW:

• Work on Eggplant satire project (due Tuesday).
• Be sure to email it to yourself, so you can work during class in the lab tomorrow.

Day 103:  Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Today's Announcements:

• Writing contests
• Portfolio pieces
• SAT practice test
• MHS Mantra

HONORS

Today's Goal:

• To analyze some examples of satire.

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now:  Read 3 satirical shorts and discuss
• Review yesterday's article (Big Brown)
• Pair and share Onion articles (and check HW)
• Present out Onion articles
• iRack video (4:19)
• Eggplant project - review rubric and expectations

Tonight's HW:

• Work on Eggplant satirical newspaper project

STANDARD

Today's Goal:

• To analyze some examples of satire.

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now:  Read 3 satirical shorts all together and discuss
• Review yesterday's article (Big Brown)
• Submit parodies
• Student examples of satire videos - John, Ali, Joy, iRack
• Eggplant project - review rubric and expectations

Tonight's HW:

• Work on Eggplant satirical newspaper project

Day 102:  Tuesday, February 26, 2013

ALL CLASSES:

• Read Big Brown article and answer satire questions - what is funny, what satirical techniques are used, what is the commentary, etc.

Honors HW:

• Be sure to have article analysis ready to share

Standard HW:

• Be sure to have song parody ready to submit

Day 101:  Monday, February 25, 2013

Today's Announcements:

• Sign up for practice SAT - Saturday, 3/2 $10
• Writing contest - all genres - deadline 3/15
• Writing contest - poetry genre - deadline 3/18
• iStudent recommendations

HONORS

Today's Goal:

• To learn about four techniques of satire.

Today's Ageda:

• Distribute PERSONALIZED feedback and portfolio work
• Shrek
• Four Techniques of Satire
• George Bush on Global Warming
• The Onion

Tonight's Homework:

• Go online to find an example of satire (must be text-based for honors class - try www.theonion.com).
• Write a one page analysis, including what is the commentary and what satirical techniques are used.

STANDARD

Today's Goal:

• To analyze some satirical song parodies and work on our own.

Today's Agenda:

• Distribute PERSONALIZED feedback and portfolio work
• White and Nerdy
• Amish Paradise
• Read So Hard
• Work on your own parody

Tonight's Homework:

• Work on your own satirical song parody. Each group should have at least two verses.

Go to www.artandwriting.org for info on the Globe writing contest!

Day 100:  Friday, February 15, 2013

Today's Goals:

• To assess our understanding of recent vocabulary words.
• To reflect on our best work from quarter 2.

Today's Agenda:

• Vocabulary Quiz and course recs
• Portfolio reflection and submit
• Outside reading
• Correct and review quiz
• HONORS:  score your partner's HW according to MCAS rubric

Homework:

• READ SOMETHING!

After the break:

• Honors:  Satire, Day 1 - Shrek, etc.
• Standard:  Satire, Day 2 - more song parodies and your own examples.

Day 99: Thursday, February 14, 2013

HONORS:  Communities that Care survey

STANDARD:  Satire, Day 2 (Song Parodies)

Tonight's HW:

• Study for vocab quiz.
• HONORS:  5-paragraph essay on static character

Day 98:  Wednesday, February 13, 2013

HONORS 

Today's Goals:

• To share and debate our classical argument topics.

Today's Agenda:

• Share topics with large group
• Turn and talk:  Get with group to begin sharing and debating
• Large group:  last 30 minutes, get in large group to debate some of the topics, in preparation for Bow-Fly's class (next year, we could probably do this for more than a single day - students did well participating and enjoyed it)
• Review MCAS prompt
• Submit classical argument essay

Today's HW:

• Long composition on static character trait due Friday.  Check out a sample prompt (the trait is pride or selfishness) a few pages into this document here. 
• Vocabulary quiz Friday

STANDARD

Today's Goals:

• To learn about and see some examples of satire.

Today's Agenda:

• Share topics from and submit MCAS essays
• Complete satire introduction lesson here.

Tonight's HW:

• Find and bring in an example of satire.
• Vocab quiz on Friday.

On tap for Monday: 

• HONORS:  Debate topics introduced in classical argument essays, ID 5 elements of a peer's classical argument essay, submit essays
• STANDARD:  Satire introduction, submit essays

Day 97:  Thursday, February 7, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Goal: 

• To research our topics for our classical argument essays.
• To learn about ethos, pathos, and logos.

Today's Agenda:

• Briefly review concepts of ethos, pathos, and logos
• To the computer lab to work on researching our topics and crafting an essay in the classical argument format (use outline and brainstorm, remember - introduction, narration, confirmation, refutation, conclusion)

Tonight's Homework:

• Finish classical argument essay.

STANDARD:

One of our school's core values is PERSONALIZATION.

Here are your personalized focus areas for the essay assignment:

1. Diego - avoid incomplete sentences
2. Gio - slow down your writing; be sure to fully explain your ideas
3. Darion - use multi-paragraph structure
4. Dan - dynamic hook and topic sentences
5. Adam - elevated tone and diction
6. Ariana - use multi-paragraph structure
7. Beka - finish to completion
8. Giana - beef up paragraphs
9. Ali - elevated tone and diction
10. Duphtalife - solid conclusion
11. Djenie - follow rubric to get an A
12. Joy - follow rubric to get an A
13. Chanel - work on topic sentences like Mrs. Chiesa taught you
14. Caleah - tell all details clearly
15. Dean - beef up your paragraphs with details
16. Bianca - show the great reader that you are
17. Jaline - beef up paragraphs with details
18. Devin - beef up paragraphs; remember what you learned at Landmark
19. John - elevated tone and diction
20. Joe - continue your path to honors by constantly improving
21. Andrew - solid conclusion
22. Drew - beef up paragraphs; when in doubt, write more!

Day 96:  Wednesday, February 6, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Goals:

• To brainstorm and outline ideas for our classical argument essay.

Today's Agenda:

• Discuss possible topics for classical argument essay (based on handout)
• Brainstorm and outline in small groups
  • Goal:  Create your own graphic organizer/outline format in which you plan to address all five stages of the classical argument
• Wrap-up
  • Discuss process of the classical argument and discuss ethos, pathos, logos briefly

Tonight's Honors HW:

• Work on classical argument essay (due Monday 2/11/13)

STANDARD:

Today's Goals:

• To work on organizing ideas in an essay.
• FOCUS:  Topic sentences.

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now:  Write 3 topic setences for your current essay, based on your introductory paragraph and your brainstorming from earlier in the week
• Chanel teaches us about topic sentences - what are they, how can we write good ones, et.c
  • Chanel has identified this website as being very useful in the writing of topic sentences - and is is!
• Peer revision:  turn your topic sentences from weak to strong

Tonight's Homework:

• Work on long composition essay (due Friday 2/8) 

Day 95:  Tuesday, February 5, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Goals:

• To analyze "game tape" of our discussion.
• To work on brainstorming/outlining for our classical argument essay.

Today's Agenda:

• Watch and analyze "game tape" of our Socratic Seminar discussion
• Discussion
• Brainstorming/Outlining Classical Argument Essay

Tonight's HW:

• Work on classical argument essay (due Monday, 2.11.2013)

STANDARD:

Today's Goals:

• To work on organizing ideas in an essay.

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now:  Free write on your long composition topic - add to what you wrote yesterday
• Mentor text - Read and examine 2009 MCAS prompt student sample (pride and selfishness) from DESE site
  • Project on LCD projector
  • Read through outline
  • ID and discuss what this student does well and how we can use this as a model for our own writing.
• Peer Revision - help your partner write their intro to sound like the intro of the mentor text

Tonight's HW:

• Work on MCAS long composition (due F 2/8)

Day 94:  Monday, February 4, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Goals:

• To analyze "game tape" of our discussion.

Today's Agenda:

• Hand back work
• Share and submit HW (original sonnet)
• Review and discuss school-wide rubric for oral presentation; discuss what would be good things to focus on in a graded discussion
• Give feedback to your partner regarding your performance in discussion (+HW check on reflection)
• "Game Tape" - pick two student facilitators for reviewing game tape; view and pause occasionally to discuss strengths and areas to improve
• Distribute and review classical argument essay rubric.

Tonight's Honors HW:

• Work on classical argument essay (due Monday, 2.11.2013)

STANDARD:

Today's Goals:

• To work on organizing ideas in an essay.

Today's Agenda:

• Hand back work
• Review first six long comps in PowerPoint - ask students to ID which ones are dynamic and which ones are static - discuss what book they would write about for each particular prompt
• Discuss HW - have students share their topic and how they structured their assignment in their outline.
• Silent writing - take 10 minutes to write introductory paragraph and topic setences
• Peer revisions

Tonight's Standard HW:

• Work on MCAS long composition due Friday, 2/8/2013.

Day 93:  Friday, February 1, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Agenda:

• Hand Back Work
• Outside Reading Time
• How is the MCAS scored?  - review handout
• MCAS Long Composition Prompts - static vs. dynamic - discuss
• Work on writing your own sonnet

This Weekend's HW:

• Write your own sonnet (quiz grade)

STANDARD:

Today's Agenda:

• Hand Back Work
• Outside Reading Time
• Share and submit original sonnets
• How is the MCAS scored?  - review handout
• MCAS Long Composition Prompts - static vs. dynamic - discuss, brainstorm original ideas for a static character analysis prompt
• Complete Graphic Organizer for a Static character analysis prompt

This Weekend's HW:

• Finish your graphic organizer for your own static character analysis prompt question

Day 92:  Thursday, January 31, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Goal:

• To have an academic discussion about "Shakespeare's Sister" and to record it with the video camera for later viewing.

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now:  List some questions that you want to ask about Woolf, write some talking points, reference your HW and the text
• Find a partner, review expectations for Socratic Seminar
• Roud 1:  Socratic Seminar
• Round 2:  Socratic Seminar
• Wrap-up:  Touch base with your partner, review notes on your partner's performance

Tonight's Honors HW:

• Write an evaluation of how you did in today's discussion.

STANDARD:

Today's Goal:

• To write your own sonnet.

Today's Agenda:

• Hand in work
• Share yesterday's poems
• Creative photo prompts - free write based on photos students selected and emailed to me
• Work on sonnets - look to text for models, try to reshape free writes into sonnet form
• Share writing with the class

Tonight's Standard HW:

• Finish writing your own sonnet.
• Submit your other free write original poetry from the week for extra credit.

Day 91:  Wednesday, January 30, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Goal: 

• Analyze the classical argument.

Today's Agenda:

• Questions from yesterday
• Small groups:  read second half of essay, highlight and anotate, answer discussion questions
• Wrap up

Tonight's Honors HW:

• Make up work and revisions due tomorrow.
• Write questions and talking points for Woolf discussion tomorrow.

STANDARD:

Today's Goal:

• To write our own sonnet.

Today's Agenda:

• Free Write based on lyricist cypher
• Share original lyricist cypher - download PowerPoint and videos for this here.
• Work on sonnets in small groups
• Share progress of sonnets and free writes

Tonight's Standard HW:

• Make up work and revisions due tomorrow.
• Original sonnet due Friday

Day 90:  Tuesday, January 29, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Goal:

• To analyze the classical argument.

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now:  Read Woolf bio silently; highlight and anotate; identify three "take away" points; discuss
• Review classical argument handout, with a focus on the five elements of the argument
• Small Groups:  read aloud, highlight, annotate, and discuss first half of "Shakespeare's Sister," with a focus on MDTSOV
• Wrap up - initial questions and comments.

Tonight's Honors HW:

• Make up work and revisions due Thursday.

STANDARD:

Today's Goal:

• To write our own sonnet.

Today's Agenda:

• Free Write based on positive and negative nature images, love images, etc. (Have a student find such imags on Google docs)
• Structure:  Discuss how structure of a sonnet lends meaning by focusing on John Avola's sonnet presentation - point out that each quatrain is a stanza, for instance
• Work on sonnets in small groups
• Share progress of sonnets and free writes

Tonight's Standard HW:

• Make up work and revisions due tomorrow.
• Original sonnet due Friday

Day 89:  Monday, January 28, 2013

HONORS:

Today's Goal:

• To teach the class about your assigned sonnet with poise and clarity.

Today's Agenda:

• Group 1 presents
• Group 2 presents

Tonight's Honors HW:

• Book review due Tuesday.
• Make up work and revisions due Thursday.

STANDARD:

Today's Goal:

• To review the sonnets we have covered.

Today's Agenda:

• Go through textbook to skim sonnets that we have read.
• Restate theme of each sonnet
• Restate literary devices present in sonnet
• (We did this as a large group, though it would work well in the future with small group preparation and large group review)
• Review rubric for writing your own sonnet
• Small Group:  Brainstorm ideas for your own sonnet, following the model of other sonnets.

Tonight's Standard HW:

• Book review due Tuesday.
• Make up work and revisions due Thusday.

Day 88:  Friday, January 25, 2013

• Honors and standard:  Work on book review, sonnet essays, etc.

Day 87:  Thursday, January 24, 2013

• Honors:  Study for exams, work on assignments
• Standard:  Midterm Exam

Day 86:  Wednesday, January 23, 2013

• Honors:  Midterm Exam
• Standard:  Sonnet presentations

Day 85:  Tuesday, January 22, 2013

• Honors and Standard:  sonnet presentations

Schedule for upcoming sonnet presentations in honors class (period 4):

• Thursday, 1.17.13:  Brennan and Rebecca, Oliva and Andrew
• Tuesday, 1.22.13:  Susan and Autumn, Nick and Nick
• Thursday, 1.24.13:  Katelyn and Jackie, Peyton and Bobby
• Monday, 1.28.13:  Will and Jackie

Day 84:  Friday, January 18, 2013

Today's Goal:

• To review for midterm exam.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:
  • Submit sonnet essay
  • Outside reading
  • Review groups - create review guide from your binder - best one gets photocopied for the class on Tuesday and earns its creators five points
• Standard:
  • Submit MCAS open response rewrites
  • Outside reading
  • Sonnet essay assignment - review expectations
  • Review groups - create review guide from your binder - best one gets photocopied for the class on Tuesday and earns its creators five points

Homework:

• Study for exams
• Standard:  sonnet essay due next Friday
• All classes:  Q2 book review due Tuesday, 1.29

Day 83:  Thursday, January 17, 2013

Honors:

• two student sonnet presentations
• Homework:  finish sonnet essay assignment

Standard:

• two student sonnet presentations
• Homework:  revise MCAS open responses that did not score very well

Day 82:  Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Honors:

• Today's Honors Goal:  Students will teach the class about their assigned sonnet with poise and clarity.
• Today's Honors Agenda:
  • Deborah and Sophonie present
  • Work on organizing sonnet essay
• Tonight's Honors Homework:
  • Be prepared for sonnet presentations (ongoing)
  • Work on sonnet essay (due Friday)
  • Begin to review for exam (Wednesday, 1.23.13)

Standard:

• Today's Standard Goal:  Students will continue to work on their sonnet presentation.
• Today's Standard Agenda:
• Tonight's Standard Homework:
  • Work on sonnet presentation (due Thursday for 10 extra points or next Monday for regular credit)
  • Begin to review for exam (Thursday, 1.24.13)

Day 81:  Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Honors:

• Today's Honors Goal:  Students will teach the class about their assigned sonnet with poise and clarity.
• Today's Honors Agenda:
  • Casey and Daria present
  • Kelly and Raveena present
  • Work on organizing sonnet essay
• Tonight's Honors Homework:
  • Be prepared for sonnet presentations (ongoing)
  • Work on sonnet essay (due Friday)
  • Begin to review for exam (Wednesday, 1.23.13)

Standard:

• Today's Standard Goal:  Students will continue to work on their sonnet presentation.
• Today's Standard Agenda:
• Tonight's Standard Homework:
  • Work on sonnet presentation (due Thursday for 10 extra points or next Monday for regular credit)
  • Begin to review for exam (Thursday, 1.24.13)

Day 80:  Monday, January 14, 2013

Honors:

• Today's Honors Goal:  Students will teach the class about their assigned sonnet with poise and clarity.
• Today's Honors Agenda:
  • Callie and Cynthia present
  • Maddy and Clare present
  • Work on organizing sonnet essay
• Tonight's Honors Homework:
  • Be prepared for sonnet presentations (ongoing)
  • Work on sonnet essay (due Friday)
  • Begin to review for exam (Wednesday, 1.23.13)

Standard:

• Today's Standard Goal:  Students will figure out the main idea (theme) of their assigned sonnet and begin to work on their sonnet presentation.
• Today's Standard Agenda:
• Tonight's Standard Homework:
  • Work on sonnet presentation (due Thursday for 10 extra points or next Monday for regular credit)
  • Begin to review for exam (Thursday, 1.24.13)

Day 79:  Friday, January 11, 2013

Today's Goals:

• HONORS: To prepare our sonnet presentations.
• STANDARD:  To review expectations for the sonnet project.  To analyze a sonnet.

Today's Agenda:

• HONORS:
  • To the computer lab to work on preparing sonnet presentations!
• STANDARD:
  • Outside reading time
  • Review sonnet project assignment - expectations, rubric, examples
  • Spenser's Sonnet 26 - in small groups, read sonnet, write down main idea, answer multiple choice questions.
  • Large group:  review answers and support with evidence from the text

This weekend's homework:

• HONORS:  Work on sonnet project (due 1/14) and sonnet essay (due 1/18)
• STANDARD:  Write solid 1-2 paragraph open response about sonnet 26 - What would be a good title?

Day 78:  Thursday, January 10, 2013

HONORS: 

• To the computer lab to work on sonnet projects!
• Honors Homework:  Work on sonnet project.

STANDARD:

• Discuss responses to sonnet 130 and submit
• Review, score, and discuss "Margarito," using textual evidence to support your claims.
• Review, score, and discuss 1999 poetry packet, using textul evidence to support your claims.
• Distribute poetry presentation rubric
• Standard Homework:  Bring in outside reading book.  Review sonnet rubric.

Day 77:  Wednesday, January 9, 2013

HONORS:

• With your partner, complete Mr. Bowen-Flynn's Poem Analysis and Exploration handout for your assigned sonnet.
• Honors homework:  Work on sonnet project.

STANDARD:

• Complete 1999 MCAS poetry packet
• Standrd homework:  Read your outside reading book

Day 76:  Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Today's Goal:

• HONORS:  To review expectations for our sonnet presentation project.
• STANDARD:  To practice reading comprehension skills for the MCAS.

Today's Agenda:

• HONORS:
  • Submit MCAS Paragraph
  • Share and submit HW
  • Review approach to poems and literary terms
  • Review project - rubric, samples, etc.
  • Assign sonnets and begin to analyze
• STANDARD:
  • Complete "Margarito and the Five Miracles" MCAS packet

Tonight's Homework:

• HONORS:  Work on sonnet project.
• STANDARD:  Read your outside reading book.

Day 75:  Monday, January 7, 2013

Today's Goal:

• To analyze the relevance of Shakespeare's sonnet 130.

Today's Agenda:

• Submit MCAS packet from Friday
• Do Now:  View clips from Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, write journal, discuss
• Standards of Beauty PPT, courtesy of Ms. Duffy
• Sonnet 130 - read, analyze, link to clips via discussion

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  One page on the contemporary relevance of sonnet 130.  Refer to the clips and use quotes from the sonnet.
• Standard:  One to two paragraphs on the same topic.

Day 74:  Friday, January 4, 2013

Today's Goals:

• To assess our understanding of recent vocabulary words.
• To practice analyzing sonnets.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:
  • Vocabulary Quiz 4
  • Outside Reading
  • Review Bow-Fly poetry analysis sheet on Sonnet 18 (last night's HW)
  • Sonnets on the MCAS:  Complete and review Spenser's Sonnet 26 questions
• Standard:
  • Vocabulary Quiz 4
  • Outside Reading
  • Review theme of Sonnet 18
  • Review approach to Sonnets
  • Sonnets on the MCAS:  Complete and review Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 questions

This Weekend's Homework:

• Read outside reading book.  Finish MCAS open response (Honors:  Spenser, Standard:  Shakespeare) if you didn't finish in class.

Day 73:  Thursday, January 3, 2013 

Today's Goals:

• To learn about and to analyze Shakespeare's sonnet series.

Today's Agenda:

• Prior Knowledge (review and submit HW)
• Shakespeare's Sonnet Series PPT.
• Read a bit of Green Eggs and Ham to get a feel for iambic pentameter
• Sonnet scrambleactivity
• Ambrose's approach to sonnet analysis
• Analyze sonnet (have each small group articulate the theme of the sonnet, and explain their support)

Tonight's Homework:

• Study for vocabulary quiz on ten most recent words of the day.
• Bring in outside reading book.
• HONORS:  Additionally, complete "Bow-Fly" style poem analysis sheet.

Day 72:  Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Today's Goals:

• To learn about the sonnet form and to analyze why Shakespeare would use it.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors
  • Sonnet Background PPT.
  • Read Romeo and Juliet sonnet.
  • Answer questions about R & J sonnet in small groups.
  • Review questions in large group
  • Distribute rhyme scheme graphic organizer.
• Standard
  • Sonnet Background PPT.
  • Read Romeo and Juliet sonnet.
  • Answer questions all together.
  • Complete rhyme scheme graphic organizer.

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  Research Shakespeare's sonnet series online.  Write a page of bullet point notes.
• Standard:  Research Shakespeare and/or his sonner series online.  Write down 5 interesting things.

Day 71:  Friday, December 21, 2012

Today's Goals:

• To present Othello projects.
• To read our outside reading books.

Today's Agenda:

• Read "It's Not Easy Being Santa"
• Present Othello projects
• Outside Reading

This Week's Homework:

• Do something nice for someone.
• Read something.
• Shovel for your family if it snows.
• Spend time with your family.

Day 70:  Thursday, December 20, 2012

Today's Goal:

• To assess the skills we practiced during the Othello unit with an MCAS-style test.

Today's Agenda:

• Othello Test
• Submit essay

Tonight's Homework:

• Finish Othello project.  Prepare to present it tomorrow. 

Day 69:  Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Today's Goals:

• To review some informational texts.
• To outline our essay nd find textual support.
• To work on our project.

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now:  Read and highlight "Morality Play" article
• Discuss article
• Work on essay and project
• MLA Format questions
• Othello rap and 60-second test review

Today's Homework:

• Due Thursday:  Essay
• Thursday:  Test
• Due Friday:  Project

Day 68:  Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Today's Goals:

• To review some informational texts.
• To outline our essay nd find textual support.
• To work on our project.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:
  • Do Now:  Read Patrick Stewart article and provide main idea
  • Distribute Bloom criticism
  • Work on essay and project
• Standard:
  • Act 5 questions from yesterday - discuss
  • Read Patrick Stewart article and provide main idea
  • Work on essay and project

Today's Homework:

• Due Thursday:  Essay
• Thursday:  Test
• Due Friday:  Project

Day 67:  Monday, December 17, 2012

Today's Goals:

• To compare a key scene in the book to a key scene in the film.
• To discuss Othello's mindset at the end of the play.

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now:  Othello Monologue
• Act 5 on Video
• Discussion

Tonight's Homework:

• Due Thursday:  Essay
• Thursday:  Othello Test
• Due Friday:  Othello Project

Day 66:  Friday, December 14, 2012

Today's Goals:

• Honors:  Review grammar skills.
• Standard:  Review critical reading skills for Shakespeare.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:
  • PSAT scoring
  • Strengths and Weaknesses
  • Section 5 - review and explain why
  • Outside reading
• Standard:
  • Henry V on MCAS
    • read and complete multiple choice
    • review multiple choice
    • explain where you found your answer
    • brainstorm open response as a group
    • write open response
    • submit
  • Outside reading

This weekend's Homework:

• Honors:  Work on ongoing Othello culminating assignments.
• Standard:  Read Othello 5.2 on No Fear Shakespeare.  Write a paragraph about the scene.

Day 65:  Thursday, December 13, 2012

Today's Goals:

• To introduce culminating assignments for Othello unit.
• To review plot and character development in Othello 5.1.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:
  • Hand back work
  • Othello 321 Journal
    • 3 plot points
    • 2 character development points
    • 1 question
  • Discuss 5.1
  • Review essay assignment and rubric.
  • Review project assignment.
• Standard:
  • Hand back work
  • Othello 321 Journal (and HW check)
  • Discuss HW
  • Review essay assignment and rubric.
  • Review project assignment.
  • Work on one of these items in groups.

Tonight's Homework:

• Work on Othello Essay and Project (due next week). 

Day 64:  Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Today's Goal:

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

Today's Agenda:

• Submit Found Poem
• Clippage: Act 4 on Film
  • ch. 15-22 (1:07-1:1:33, 26 minutes)
• Complete Act 4 Guided Viewing Sheet, discuss

Tonight's Homework:

• HONORS: Read all of Act 5. Write one paragraph on each scene.
• STANDARD: Read Act 5.1 on www.nofearshakespeare.com and write one paragraph on the scene.

Day 63:  Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Today's Goals:

• We will explore Othello's torment.
• We will get to know Emilia.
• We will analyze Shakespeare's foreshadowing.
• We will analyze how language gives and takes away power.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:
  • Pair and share HW
  • Discuss and submit HW
  • Read 4.2 and 4.3
  • Willow Song
  • Discussion
• Standard:
  • Discuss and submit HW
  • Read 4.2
  • Review 4.2 Questions
  • Read 4.3
  • Foreshadowing

Tonight's Homework:

• Write Othello found poem.
• Bring in canned food for food drive for extra credit.

Day 62:  Monday, December 10, 2012

Today's Objectives:

• To see how Iago preys upon Othello's epilepsy - a perceived weakness in Shakespere's time - to advance his plan.
• To see how sexism permeates language and makes Desdemona "hapless."

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:
  • Do Now:  In groups, questions about 3.4 and 4.1 (and HW check)
  • Discuss questions and possible stage direction for 4.1
  • Discuss 4.1
  • Discuss HW
  • How does languge give or take away power?
• Standard:
  • Do Now:  In groups, questions about 3.4
  • Review 3.4 questions
  • Act out 4.1
  • Discuss 4.1
  • How does language give or take away power?

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  one page on whether you think that language can be sexist (give power, take away power) and why
• Standard:  One paragraph on how language gives or takes away power

Day 61:  Friday, December 7, 2012

Today's Objectives: 

• RL.9-10.1:  Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the test.
• 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.

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now: Shakespeare on the MCAS - The Seven Ages of Man (Honors on your own, then review; Standard all together)
• Review and check HW (paraphrase of 3.4)
• Othello Act 3 on video
• Discuss how the interpretation compares to our expectations
• Outside Reading

This Weekend's Homework:

• Honors:  Read and summarize Othello 4.1.  Reference at least three quotes that show how Desdemona is powerless.
• Standard:  Get caught reading your outside reading book!

Day 60:  Thursday, December 6, 2012

Today's Goal:

• To follow the significance of an important prop - the handkerchief - in Othello.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:
  • 7 studets to Ms. Saulnier
  • Small group preparation for acting companies and HW check
  • 3 acting companies present Othello 3.4
  • Discuss Othello 3.4
• Standard:
  • Devin and I present end of Othello 3.3
  • Discuss Othello as dynamic character
  • Review and submit HW (significance of the handkerchief)
  • Read and discuss Othello 3.4

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  Daily Paraphrase 3.4 (Honors version)
• Standard:  Daily Paragrase 3.4 (Standard version)

Day 59:  Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Today's Objective:

• To depict Othello's transformation as a dynamic character.

Today's Agenda:

• Perform Othello 3.3 in relay.

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors: Read Othello 3.4. Write a solid paragraph on the importance of the handkerchief, based on BOTH Othello 3.3 and 3.4.
• Standard: Based on class today (Othello 3.3), write a solid paragraph on the importance of the handkerchief.

Day 58:  Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Today's Goal:

• To analyze and rehearse Othello 3.3.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:
  • Touch base on objective
  • Daily Paraphrase
  • Work with partner to rehearse scene
• Standard:
  • Review summary of Othello 3.3
  • Assign partners for acting companies
  • Work with partner to read through scene and write 5 pieces of stage direction for the characters in the scene.

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  Practice your lines.
• Standard:  Write five more pieces of stage direction.

Day 57:  Monday, December 3, 2012

Today's Objective:

• To analyze plot and character development in Othello, Act 3.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:
  • Small group analysis questions
  • HW check
  • Discuss 3.1-3.3
  • Assign partners for acting companies
• Standard
  • Do Now:  Two questions regarding 3.1 and homework check
  • Discuss 3.1
  • Read 3.2, discuss
  • Read 3.3, discuss

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  Read 3.3.  Write 10 points of stage direction for your assigned scene.
• Standard:  Finish reading 3.3.  Write bullet point summary

Day 56:  Friday, November 30, 2012

Today's Objective:

• Some formative assessment of our knowledge of Shakespeare!

Today's Agenda:

• Review HW and submit (Honors:  7 analysis questions about Othello, Standard:  Othello Act 2 review)
• Do Now:  MacBeth MCAS questions (Honors:  on your own, Standard:  as a large group)
• Review Othello MCAS packet from Monday
• Outside Reading

This Weekend's Homework:

• Honors:  Read Othello 3.1-3.3.  Write a brief summary of each scene.
• Standard:  Read Othello 3.1 at www.nofearshakespeare.com.  Write a bullet point summary.

Day 55:  Thursday, November 29, 2012

Today's Objectives:

• To formatively assess what we know about act 2 of Othello.
• To compare a professional depiction of Othello to our expectations (RL.9-10.7).

Today's Agenda:

• Quiz
  • Honors:  Quotes
  • Standard:  Fill-in
• Act 2 on Video; discuss

Today's Homework:

• Honors:  Complete Othello analysis questions.
• Standard:  Act 2 Review.
• All classes:  Bring in outside reading book.

Day 54:  Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Today's Objective:

• To stand up a scene from Othello to demonstrate how Iago manipulates other characters.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:
  • Do Now:  Practice scene in groups
  • Present out scenes from 2.3; discuss
• Standard:
  • Do Now:  Review summary of 2.3
  • Act out 2.3 and discuss all together

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  Study for quote quiz (acts 1 and 2).
• Standard:  Study for fill-in quiz (acts 1 and 2).

Day 53:  Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Today's Objective:

• To analyze plot and character development in Othello 2.3.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:  Prepare Othello 2.3 in small group acting companies.
• Standard:  Read Othello 2.3 in small groups.

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  Be prepared to present your scene in class tomorrow.
• Standard:  Finish reading Othello 2.3.

Day 52:  Monday, November 26, 2012

Today's Objective: 

• Formative assessment - let's see how we are doing understanding Iago's soliloquies as we prepare for MCAS.

Today's Agenda:

• Complete Othello MCAS-style packet
  • 16 multiple choice questions, 1 open response

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  Read and summarize Othello 2.3.
• Standard:  No homework. 

Day 51:  Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Today's Objective: 

• To see some similarities between Shakespeare and hip-hop.

Today's Agenda:

• View this TED talk.

This Weekend's Homework:

• Happy Thanksgiving!  Enjoy spending time with your family.

Day 50:  Tuesday, November 20, 2012

HONORS:

Today's Objective:

• To work on "blocking" - writing stage direction.

Today's Agenda:

• Review and submit one-page on objective of a character in a scene.
• Paraphrase Iago's second soliloquy (2.1)
• Blocking
• Quickly review the play's shortest scene - 2.2
• 2.3.1-39
• Prepare to perform

STANDARD:

Today's Objective:

• To review the events of the play so far and to understand Shakespeare in our own words

Today's Agenda:

• Paraphrase Iago's second soliloquy (2.1)
• Write a newspaper article about any event in the play so far.
  • Write a good headline.
  • Write an article that is one to two paragraphs long.
  • For extra credit, draw a picture or make it look like a newspaper.

Day 49:  Monday, November 19, 2012

Today's Announcements:

• Questions re:  grade reports
• Globe contest
• Work for the bulletin board

Today's Objective:

• To examine characters' objectives and superobjectives in Shakespeare's Othello.

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now:
  • Honors:  Share 2.1 summaries
  • Standard:  Review Iago's first soliloquy
• Acting 2.1.1-181
• Actor's Objectives
• Read through and role play
• Perform and discuss

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  one page on character's objectives and superobjectives
• Standard:  1-2 paragraphs on character's objectives and superobjectives

Day 48:  Friday, November 16, 2012

Today's Announcements:

• Questions re:  grade reports
• Parent-teacher conferences
• Globe contest
• Work for the bulletin board

Today's Objective:

• To assess our vocabulary knowledge.
• To work on our critical reading skills (fiction) - RL.9-10.1-6.

Today's Agenda:

• Vocabulary Quiz 3
• Honors:  silently read packet from 2012 MCAS, session 2; Standard:  read packet aloud
• Honors:  complete questions and plan open response in small groups; standard:  review answers and plan open response in large group
• Outside reading

This Weekend's Homework:

• Honors:  Read Othello 2.1.  Write a brief summary.  Use www.nofearshakespeare.comif you get stuck, but try it on your own first.
• Standard:  No homework!  Enjoy the weekend!

Day 47:  Thursday, November 15, 2012

Today's Objectives:

• To reflect on the work we have done during quarter 1.
• RL.9-10.7:  Analyze the representation of a subject or key scene in two different artistic mediums.

Today's Agenda:

• Do Now:  Select your 3 best pieces of work from quarter 1.  Write a paragraph reflection about why these pieces represent your best work.
• Clippage:  View 1.3.  Download guided viewing sheet here.
• How did the film compare to your expectations?  Discuss, share and submit HW (honors:  page on expectations, standard:  illustration of a character)
• Wrap up by reviewing Iago's first soliloquy with honors.

Tonight's Homework:

• Study for tomorrow's vocabulary quiz.  Bring in outside reading book.

Day 46:  Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Today's Announcements:

• Grade reports will be distributed today.  See me with any questions.
• Parent-teacher conference night is tomorrow.

Today's Objective:

• To be able to understand Shakespeare's language on our own.  (Standard class will receive more guidance than Honors class.)

Today's Agenda:

• Finish reading 1.3
• Report out
• Daily Paraphrase of Iago's first soliloquy.
  • Honors in small groups
  • Standard as large group

Homework (due Thursday):

• Honors:  1 page on your directorial vision of Act 1
• Standard:  labelled illustration of costume for one of the characters in Act 1

Day 45:  Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Today's Announcements:

• Who went to the play?  Write your name down to earn some extra credit.
• Grade print-outs tomorrow.
• Parent-teacher conference night on Thursday.

Today's Objective:

• To be able to understand Shakespeare's language on our own.  (Standard class will receive more guidance than Honors class.)

Today's Agenda:

• Hand back quarter 1 work.
• Othello 1.2 Review (and submit for HW check - remember standard class has Mad Libs review and honors class has quote review)
• Small Groups
  • Assign 3 roles
    • Leader - most recent birthday
    • Scribe - attended a concert most recently
    • Reporter - travelled the farthest over the summer
  • Read 1.3 in round robin style
  • Take notes, focusing on plot and character development

Homework (due Thursday):

• Honors:  1 page on your directorial vision of Act 1
• Standard:  labelled illustration of costume for one of the characters in Act 1

Day 44:  Friday, November 9, 2012

Today's Objective: 

• To analyze how Iago continues to reveal his character and to discern what we know about Othello through indirect characterization.

Today's Agenda:

• Review templates from Ms. Stevens's activity
• Wrap up 1.1 and go over review sheets
• Act out and discuss 1.2

This weekend's Homework:

• Complete 1.2 review sheets
  • download honors sheet here.
  • download standard sheet here.

Day 43:  Thursday, November 8, 2012

Today's Objective:

• To reacquaint ourselves with the Bard.

Today's Agenda:

• Facebook Shakespeare activity with Ms. Stevens

Day 42:  Wedesday, November 7, 2012

Today's Objective:

• Today's Objective: To analyze how Iago reveals his character and set up the plot in Othello.

Today's Agenda:

• Distribute books
• Review dramatis personae of Othello
• Act out and dicuss Othello 1.1

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  Othello 1.1 Quote Sheet.
• Standard:  Othello 1.1 Review Sheet.

Day 41:  Monday, November 5, 2012

Today's Objective:

• RL.9-10.2:  Determine the theme of a work and analyze its development.

Today's Agenda:

• Hand back work
• Return Beowulf books
• Othello reputation activity
  • Spectrum
  • Small Groups
  • Journal Discussion

Tonight's Homework:

• Finish Book Review

Day 40:  Friday, November 2, 2012

Today's Objective:

• To synthesize our knowledge of Beowulf into a creative project.

Today's Agenda:

• Revisions
• Globe contest
• Book review - due date, expectations
• Outside reading
• Work on Beowulf project

This Weekend's Homework:

• Work on Beowulf project

Day 39:  Thursday, November 1, 2012

Today's Objective:

• To assess what we have learned during the first quarter.

Today's Agenda:

• Quarter 1 Exam

Day 38:  Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Today's Objective:

• To review for our quarterly exam.

Today's Agenda:

• Submit Beowulf guided viewing questions
• Hand back work
• Jeopardy review game.
• Review sheet.

Tonight's Homework:

• Study for tomorrow's exam.  (Use the above study guides to help you with this.)
• Book review and Beowulf project due at the end of the quarter (Monday).

Day 37:  Friday, October 26, 2012

Today's Objective:

• RL.9-10.7:  Analyze the representation of a key scene in two different artistic mediums (text and film).

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:  Submit Beowulf Translations essay
• Guided viewing of Beowulf and Grendel clippage

This Weekend's Homework:

• Finish Beowulf and Grendel guide viewing sheet
• Start studying for quarterly exam (Tuesday 10/30)
• Work on Beowulf project (due by end of quarter)

Day 36:  Thursday, October 25, 2012

Today's Objective:

• RL.9-10.7: Analyze the representation of a key scene in two different artistic mediums (text and film).

Today's Agenda:

• Guided viewing of Beowulf and Grendel clippage

This Weekend's Homework:

• Finish Beowulf and Grendel guide viewing sheet
• Start studying for quarterly exam (Tuesday 10/30)
• Work on Beowulf project (due by end of quarter)

Day 35:  Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Today's Objective:

• Assessment of Reading of Literature Standards (Beowulf unit)

Todays Agenda:

• Beowulf test

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  Work on translations essay (due Friday)
• Standard:  No homework 

Day 34:  Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Today's Announcements:

• Do MCAS revisions and essay revisions by the end of the quarter.

Today's Objectives:

• Honors:
  • RL.9-10.5:  Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it, and manipulate time create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
  • RL.9-10.9:  Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work.

• Standard:

  • RL.9-10.2:  Determine a theme or central idea of a text; provide an objective summary or a text.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:
  • Small groups:  review HW (mark up translation) and complete graphic organizer
  • Report out from selected groups.
  • Test review.
  • Review and submit kenning sheet.
• Standard:
  • Review and submit kenning sheet.
  • What is the role of dragons in mythology?
  • Read aloud final chapters - the battle with the dragon
    • 31, 35-38
  • Test review.

Tonight's Homework:

• All Classes:  Study for Beowulf Test.
• Honors:  Beowulf translation essay due Friday.
• Download some Beowulf MCAS questions from 2012 here.  You may see them on the test tomorrow.
• Download some Beowulf MCAS questions from 2005 here. You may see them on the test tomorrow.

Day 33:  Monday, October 22, 2o12

Today's Announcements:

• Do MCAS revisions and essay revisions by the end of the quarter.

Today's Objectives:

• Honors:
  • RL.9-10.5:  Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it, and manipulate time create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
  • RL.9-10.9:  Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work.
• Standard:
  • RL.9-10.2:  Determine a theme or central idea of a text; provide an objective summary or a text.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:
  • Hand back MCAS packets; remind students that they may revise open responses for extra credit
  • How did the PSAT go?
  • Watch and discuss crazy Beowulf manto understand what Old English sounds like
  • Review translation assignment.
  • Small groups:  begin to mark up translations
• Standard:
  • Hand back MCAS packets; remind students that they may revise open responses for extra credit
  • How did the PSAT go?
  • Finish reading Beowulf's battle with Grendel (end of chapter 12); provide an objective summary.
  • Watch and discuss crazy Beowulf manto understand what Old English sounds like
  • Read aloud and discuss Beowulf's battle with Grednel's mom (chapters 19, 22, 23); provide an objective summary
  • Small groups:  Work on kennings sheet.

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors: 
  • Continue to mark up translation sheet.
  • Work on kenning sheet for extra credit.
  • Do MCAS revisions if you want.
• Standard:
  • Work on kenning sheet for extra credit.
  • Do MCAS revisions if you want.

Day 32:  Friday, October 19, 2012

Today's Objectives:

• To work on our vocabulary, reading comprehension, and grammar skills for PSAT.

Today's Agenda:

• Report out on college fair
• PSAT Tip Sheet.
• PSAT Review - small group then large group
• Outside Reading

This weekend's Homework:

• HONORS:  Finish reading Beowulf.  Employ the active reading strategy of your choice.
• STANDARD:  No homework due Monday.  Do your best on the PSAT!

Day 31:  Thursday, October 18, 2012

Today's Objectives:

• To share our original poems based on Transcendentalist philosophies.
• To start thinking about college.
• To answer any questions about college.

Today's Agenda:

• Share and submit Transcendentalist poems.
• Do Now:  Write questions about college.
• Mr. Ambrose's college presentation.
• Q & A about college.

Tonight's Homework:

• Finish PSAT packet.

Day 30:  Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Today's Objectives:

• RL.9-10.1 Provide textual evidence to support reading of literature.

Today's Agenda:

• HONORS:
  • Small groups:  Review homework.
  • Large group:  Review up to chapter 26.
  • What is the role of the dragon in mythology?
  • Read Beowulf's final battle with the dragon
• STANDARD:
  • Share taunts.
  • Read ch. 10-12.  (SCQLIV on overhead)
  • What archetype does Grendel best represent?

Tonight's Homework:

• HONORS:  Finish PSAT packet for Friday.  Finish Beowulf for next Monday (and be sure to employ active reading strategies).
• STANDARD:  Finish PSAT packet for Friday.

Day 29:  Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Today's Objectives:

• RL.9-10.1 Provide textual evidence to support reading of literature.

Today's Agenda:

• HONORS:
  • Distribute project grades.
  • Small groups:  Review ch. 13-15
  • Large group review
  • Begin reading with ch. 19
  • What archetype is Grendel's mother?
• STANDARD:
  • Distribute project grades.
  • Finish posters from yesterday
  • Present out posters
  • Read ch. 8 and 9
  • Review sample assignments for Unferth's Taunt

Tonight's Homework:

• HONORS:  Read up through chapter 26.  Write a summary for each chapter.
• STANDARD:  Write your own modernized version of Unferth's Taunt or Beowulf's Boast (10 lines).

Day 28:  Mondaay, October 15, 2012

Today's Common Core Objectives:

• RI.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to supoprt analysis of what the text says.

Today's Agenda:

• HONORS:
  • Share and submit taunt HW
  • Read and discuss ch. 10-12 (SCQLIV)
  • What archetype does Grendel best represent?
• STANDARD:
  • Hand back essays scored according to the school-wide rubric and review
  • Read ch. 3 together (do SCQLIV on overhed)
  • Small Groups:  Assign students to ch. 4, 5, 6, or 7 group.  Each group must read the chapter and complete the SCQLIV graphic organizer for the chapter.  Create a poster to present to the class tomorrow.

Tonight's Homework:

• HONORS:  Read ch. 13-15.  Complete SCQLIV sheet for one of the chapters.
• STANDARD:  Write 5 examples of kennings from wht we've read so far.

Day 27:  Friday, October 12, 2012

Today's Common Core Objectives:

• RI.9-10.4 Determine meanings of words in a text.
• RI.9-10.2 Determine the central idea of a text.

Today's Agenda:

• Vocabulary Quiz
• Distribute Grade Reports
• Score 2012 MCAS session 1 (correct multiple choice, open response, examine student samples and rubic on the Department of Ed site)
• Outside Reading

This Weekend's Homework:

• Honors:  Your own modernized version of Unferth's Taunt or Beowulf's Boast.  Work on PSAT Packet for Friday.
• Standard:  No Homework due Monday.  Work on PSAT Packet for Friday.

Day 26:  Thursday, October 11, 2012

Today's Common Core Objective:

• RL.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis.

Today's Agenda:

• HONORS:
  • Small groups:  Review ch.4, 5, 6, 7 (based on which chapter you were assigned for your homework)
  • Present out - reciprocal teaching - ch. 3 (leftover from yesterday), 4, 5, 6, 7
  • Read ch. 8 and 9 and discuss
  • Share samples of Unferth's Taunt/Beowulf Boast assignment (by Kelly Foley, John Coakley, and Adam Zec)
• STANDARD
  • Share and submit comitatus homework
  • Distribute Beowulf books
  • Read and discuss ch. 1 and 2 of Beowulf
  • As we read, complete SCQLIV all together in notebooks (Have one student type on overhead computer for visual learners)

Tonight's Homework:

• HONORS:  Study for vocabulary quiz.  Modernized Unferth's Taunt/Beowulf's Boast due on Monday 10/15.  Completed PSAT packet due Friday 10/19.
• STANDARD:  Study for vocabulary quiz.  Completed PSAT packet due Friday 10/19.

Day 25:  Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Today's Common Core Objective:

• RL.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis.

Today's Agenda:

• HONORS:
  • Break into four groups (prologue, ch. 1, ch.2, ch.3) and do HW check
  • Create a poster that depicts SCQLIV for your assigned chapter
    • S - summary (1-2 sentences - what happened in the scene?)
    • C - characterization (how did characters develop/change in the scene?)
    • Q - quote (what's an important quote or a quote that stands out to you?)
    • L - literary device (what is a literary device that the author employs in the scene?)
    • I - illustration (draw a quick picture of the scene)
    • V- vocabulary (what is a tough vocab word?)
  • Reciprocal Teaching - present these posters to the class, see if anyone has any questions about the scene for your group
• STANDARD:
  • Complete first reading passage of section 2 of 2012 ELA MCAS with Mr. Moscatel.  Use active reading strategies, complete multiple choice questions, and write open response.

Tonight's Homework:

• HONORS:  Read ch. 4-7 of Beowulf.  Complete an SCQLIV sheet for one of those chapters.  (Chapters assigned in class.)
• STANDARD:  No new homework.  Be sure to have your comitatus paragraph written for tomorrow.

Day 24:  Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Today's Common Core Objectives:

• Define the term "comitatus."
• Learn about the genre of epic poetry.

Today's Agenda:

• Hand in MCAS packet
• Hand back work
• Beowulf notes.
• Comitatus video and journal
• Characteristics of the epic
• Distribute books (honors)

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  Read prologue-chapter 3.  Write a short summary and a question for each one.
• Standard:  Write one to two paragraphs about a modern-day comitatus.

Day 23:  Friday, October 5, 2012

Today's Common Core Objectives:

• L.9-10.1 Demonstrate command of standard English grammar and usage.
• RL.9-10.9 Read and comprehend literature.

Today's Agenda:

• Submit Bill essay with school-wide rubric.
• Day 2 of SAT Grammar and Style.
• Guided Practice and submit as formative assessment (Honors only)
• Outside Reading Time

This Weekend's Homework:

• Read, highlight, and annotate "Volar" from March 2012 MCAS.
• Complete multiple choice and open response questions.

Day 22:  Thursday, October 4, 2012

Today's Common Core Objectives:

• Reading of Informational Texts standards

Today's Agenda:

• Read, highlight, and annotate "Rats" from March 2012 MCAS.
• Complete multiple choice and open response questions

Tonight's Homework:

• Be prepared to hand in your Bliss paper.

Day 21:  Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Today's Common Core Objectives:

• Assessment for Reading of Informational Texts standards

Today's Agenda:

• Monomyth Test

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  Follow your bliss paper due tomorrow
• Standard:  Follow your bliss paper due Friday

Day 20:  Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Today's Common Core Objectives:

• To review for an assessment on Reading of Informational Texts Standards.

Today's Agenda:

• Jeopardy Reviewgame
• Review test format

Tonight's Homework:

• Study for tomorrow's test
• Looking ahead:  Honors essay due Thursday, standard essay due Friday

Day 19:  Monday, October 1, 2012

Today's Common Core Objectives:

• RI.9-10.2 Determine a central idea of a text (Hero with a 1000 Faces).
• RI.9-10.7 Analyze various accounts of a subject in different mediums (text and film)

Today's Agenda:

• Female Heroine Archetypes.
• Small Groups (share video questions and bliss, check homework)
• Large group discussion (on video and bliss)
• Review follow your bliss assignment and school-wide rubric.
• Standard: presentation of monomyth poster

Tonight's Homework:

• Begin to review for Monomyth test (W 10.3)
• Work on bliss essay (Hon - due Th 10.4, Std - due Fri 10.5)

Day 18:  Friday, September 28, 2012

Today's Common Objectives:

• RI.9-10.4 Identify the meaning of vocabulary in context.
• L.9-10.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of English grammar.

Today's Agenda:

• Vocabulary Quiz
• Outside Reading
• SAT Grammar - through verbs

Tonight's Homework:

• Reflection on your "bliss."
• Honors: one page, Standard: one paragraph

Day 17:  Thursday, September 27, 2012

Today's Common Core Objectives:

• RI.9-10.2 Determine a central idea of a text.
• RI.9-10.7 Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums.
• W.9-10.3 Write narratives to develop real experiences or events.

Today's Agenda:

• Finish watching Finding Joe
• Photo Day!

Tonight's Homework:

• Work on part 2 of Finding Joe questions.

Day 16:  Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Today's Common Core Objectives:

• RI.9-10.2 Determine a central idea of a text.
• RI.9-10.7 Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums.
• W.9-10.3 Write narratives to develop real experiences or events.

Today's Agenda:

• Hon: Discuss HW, Std:  Submit 5-paragraph essay
• Finding Joe previewing (watch trailer, review questions, discuss why we are watching the film)
• View part 1 of Finding Joe.  Work on questions.

Tonight's Homework:

• Work on part 1 of Finding Joe questions.

Day 15:  Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Today's Common Core Objectives:

• SL.9-10.4 Present information and evidence clearly and concisely so listeners can follow.
• Sl.9-10.5 Make strategic use of digital media in presentations.

Today's Agenda:

• Honors:
  • How to do a formal summary.
  • Do Now:  a formal summary on last night's reading.  Share and discuss.
  • Presentations and clippage
• Standard
  • Presentations
  • Work on essays on laptop.

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  Read up to page 6 of this articleand do annotations and a formal summary.  You can read the whole thing if you want, but be sure to focus on pages 1-6.
• Standard:  5-paragraph essay on monomyth.

Day 14:  Monday, September 24, 2012

Today's Common Core Objectives:

• SL.9-10.4 Present information and evidence clearly and concisely so listeners can follow.
• Sl.9-10.5 Make strategic use of digital media in presentations.

Today's Agenda

• Pair and share posters
• Review rubric for oral presentation
• Share posters with videos for extra credit
• Submit posters

Tonight's Homework:

• Honors:  Print, read, highlight, and annotate this article from the New York Times.
• Standard:  Work on essay (monomyth).

Day 13:  Friday, September 21, 2012

Today's Common Core Objectives:

• RI.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Today's Agenda

• Word of the Day
• Do Now:  Read Standing Up at an Early Ageand discuss.
• Critical Reading Strategies and guided practice
• Outside Reading

Tonight's Homework:

• Work on poster and essay
• Honors:  Both due Monday (present clippage for extra credit)
• Standard:  Poster due Monday (present poster for extra credit), essay due Wednesday

Day 12:  Thursday, September 20, 2012

Today's Objectives:

• RI.9-10.2 Determine the central idea of a text.
• W.9-10.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine/explain coplex concepts.

Today's Agenda:

• Word of the Day
• Female Villain Archetypes.
• Work on poster and essay
• You may use a laptop

Tonight's Homework:

• Work on poster and essay
• Honors:  both due on Monday
• Standard:  poster due Monday, essay due Wednesday

Day 11:  Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Today's Objectives:

• RI.9-10.2 Determine a central idea of a text
• W.9-10.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas

Today's Agenda

• Villain Archetypes.
• Honors:  2nd half of comprehension questions from The Hero with a 1000 Faces.
• Work on poster (sketch design) and essay (thesis)

Tonight's Homework:

• Work on Essay/Project
• Honors:  both due Monday, 9.24.12
• Standard:  posters due Monday, 9.24.12, essays due Wednesday, 9.26.12

Day 10:  Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Today's Objectives:

• RI.9-10.2 Determine a central idea of a text.
• W.9-10.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas.

Today's Agenda:

• Review school-wide rubric again.
• Heroic Archetypesnotes
• Honors only:  Small Group Discussion Questions on Hero with 1000 Faces
• Work on Essay/Project

Tonight's Homework:

• Work on Essay/Project
• Honors:  both due Monday, 9.24.12
• Standard:  posters due Monday, 9.24.12, essays due Wednesday, 9.26.12

Day 9:  Monday, September 17, 2012

Today's Objectives:

• W.9-10.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to convey complex ideas.

Today's Agenda:

• Clippage:  Monomyth (seven minute video using elements of The Matrix, Star Wars, and Harry Potter).
• Honors - discuss reading from the weekend, Standard - review bullet point summary at the end of paired reading
• Small Groups:  Share HW and HW Check
• A few individuals present HW to class
• Review monomyth essay assignment and school-wide rubric.
• Begin work on essay/project

Tonight's Homework:

• Work on monomyth essay and rubric.
• Honors:  poster and essay due Monday, 9.24.2012.
• Standard:  Poster due Monday, 9.24.2012, and Wednesday, 9.26.2012.

Day 8:  Friday, September 14, 2012

Today's Objectives: 

• RI.9-10.2 Determine a central idea of a text.
• RI.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text. 

Today's Agenda:

• Hand back HW and review Word of the Day
• Do Now:  Read a section from yesterday's Paired Readings packet and note main ideas and difficult vocabulary words.  Briefly review.
• SAT Session 1:  Vocabulary Sentence Completion.
• Guided Practice:  PSAT Preparation Book, p. 254, #1-8.  Review.
• Outside Reading

Tonight's Homework:  Complete Monomyth graphic organizer for your favorite book or film.

Honors:  Also finish reading paired reading assignment. 

Day 7:  Thursday, September 13, 2012

Today's Objective:  RI.9-10.2 Determine a central idea of a text; provide an objective summary.

Today's Agenda:

• Finish Monomyth PPT
• DYRT quiz on Cambell (Honors only)
• Review Main Ideas of Reading Passages from HW
• Paired Readings
• Wrap up

Tonight's Homework:

For Friday:  Bring in an outisde reading book.

For Monday:  Complete Monomyth graphic organizer for your favorite book or film.

Honors:  Also (for Monday) finish reading paired reading assignment.

Day 6:  Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Today's Objectives:  To provide examples of heroes.  To learn about Joseph Campbell's monomyth theory.

Today's Agenda:

• Big Paper - wrap up definitions of hero and review with class
• Share and submit HW (page/paragraph about your hero)
• Monomyth PowerPoint notes
• Use Monomyth Graphic Organizer for note-taking

Tonight's Homework:

Honors:  Read pp.30-40 from Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces.  Highlight and annotate.  Be prepared for a quick quiz.

Standard:  Read excerpt summary sheet from Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces.  Highlight and annotate.  Write any questions that you have.

Day 5:  Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Today's Objectives:  To share our identity poems.  To define what it means to be a hero.

Today's Agenda:

• Share and submit "Theme for English B"
• Four of a Kind.
• Journal:  What makes a hero?
• Why Courage Matters
• Small Groups:  Big Paper definition of hero

Tonight's Homework:

Honors:  One page about your hero.

Standard: 1-2 paragraphs about your hero.

For extra credit, bring in a photo of your hero. 

Day 4:  Monday, September 10, 2012

Today's Objectives:  To analyze an identity poem and to identify literary devices within it.

Today's Agenda:

• Word of the Day
• Literary Terms for Theme for English B.
• Read aloud "Theme for English B"
• Impressions, Inferences, Literary Devices
• Mentor Text by Ambrose.

Tonight's Homework:  Write your own "Theme for English B."

Day 3:  Friday, September 7, 2012

Today's Objectives:  To assess our comprehension of the summer reading texts.  To provide a writing diagnostic for the class.

Today's Agenda:

Summer Reading In-Class Essay

• you may use your graphic organizer
• when you are done, staple essay to rubric and graphic organizer

Silent Reading

Tonight's Homework:  Be sure to have the appropriate supplies for class:  one-inch three-ring binder, highlighter, pen, paper, outside reading book.

Day 2:  Thursday, September 6, 2012

Today's Objectives:  To learn all of our names.  To review rubric and mentor texts for summer reading essays.

Today's Agenda:

• Collect parent forms
• Share name histories (submit HW)
• Review summer reading rubric.
• Review summer reading prompts.
• Mentor texts
  • link to MCAS mentor essays.

Note:  For MCAS essay link, click on numbers to access sample essays.  Shoot for a 6 on Topic/Idea Development and a 4 on Standard English Conventions.

Tonight's Homework:  Complete graphic organizer in preparation for tomorrow's in-class essay. 

Day 1:  Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Today's Objectives:  To review course syllabus.  To get familiar with the class.

Today's Agenda:

• Welcome
• Review syllabus.
• Review letter home to parents/guardians
• Setting goals
• Student survey.
• Essentials for a good school year

Tonight's Homework (10 points):

• Write about the history/meaning of your name.
  • (Honors - 2 paragraphs, Standard - 1 paragraph)
• Get parent/guardian to sign letter home.

Unit 1:  Anglo-Saxon Heroes

• Selected essays, Joseph Campbell **
• Excerpts from Why Courage Matters:  The Way to a Braver Life, John McCain **
• Beowulf, translations by Burton Raffel and Seamus Heaney *
• Excerpts from Grendel, by John Gardner (H)

Unit 2:  Shakespeare

• The Tragedy of Othello, William Shakespeare *
• Excerpts from Shakespeare:  The Invention of the Human, Harold Bloom (H) **
• "A Room of One's Own," Virginia Woolf
• Selected Sonnets by William Shakepeare *, Philip Sidney, Edmund Spenser, Elizabeth Barrett Browning *

Unit 3:  Satire

• selected articles from The Onion, various authors
• excerpts from I Am America, and So Can You, Stephen Colbert
• "A Modest Proposal," Jonathan Swift
• Animal Farm, George Orwell
• The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde

Unit 4:  Ballads

Unit 5:  Catcher in the Rye

PSAT/NMSQT Preparation **

Vocabulary Workshop Units 1, 2, and 3

* - denotes a work of literature that has been featured on the MCAS in recent years

** - denotes a nonfiction informational text

H - denotes a work of literature exclusive to the honors-level clas

Literary Devices We've Covered

Allegory (sonnet unit)

Allieration (9.10.12)

Allusion (Beowulf unit)

Assonance (9.10.12)

Couplet (sonnet unit)

Dissonance (sonnet unit)

Epic Poem (Beowulf unit)

Foreshadowing (Beowulf unit)

Free Verse (9.10.12)

Harlem Renaissance (9.10.12)

Kenning (Beowulf unit)

Metaphor (sonnet unit)

Metonomy (sonnet unit)

Parallelism (9.10.12)

Simile (Beowulf unit)

Synecdoche (sonnet unit)