9th Grade - Students worked almost exclusively on being able to do a proper works cited page for their Greek Gods Project. We spent the majority of the class with Lori in the library going through the process step-by-step.
The main reason I feel this has been worth focusing on is because we are aiming at college prep skills, and the ability to correctly cite sources is very common in any college. Many of the students are used to using a program called Noodletools, which organizes citations for the students, but oftenntimes the students have not been entering the correct information, and even using this program, they are not citing properly.
The goal for today was to complete the works cited page in class; as long as students were not RUSHING, they were able to do it correctly (a big hint for those that were rushing . . .). With the works cited for this project, it is either 100% perfect or 0% - no errors allowed.
10th Grade - Sophomores had a variety of material that was covered today. First, we finished the trial scene from the TKAM script, and discussed one speech in that scene in particular. There is a part where Atticus, the main character, discusses that people are willing to convict an innocent man because of an "unspoken social code" regarding race in the 1930s. I asked students to think about what other social codes exist in contemporary society, and why.
I returned the student journal entries from last week - the main criticism with the writing level was simply that most students only wrote on a surface level. As I read through entries, each one had several points that could easily have been followed through in greater depth, and this is the primary fix for the next round of entries. I am also requiring the next several entries to be done in class, and must be shown to me before students leave for the day.
Students also had three new vocab words - infalliable, tact, and pejorative.
Homework - Read CH 22-23.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Feb. 25th Daily Plan
9th Grade - Students started by sharing the tragic scenarios they had written with the class, and then students voted on which scenario best fit the criteria of a tragedy.
Today, the goal of class was to start reading Antigone. Since this is the third part of a trilogy, part of class was dedicated to going over the plotlines of Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus, along with a visual family tree to get a better understanding of how these characters are connected.
As a class, we read through the prologue and the opening of Scene 1, and will continue on monday.
10th Grade - First, sophomores took a vocabulary test over the commonly misused words that were studied this past week. We also had the last few student presentations, with most periods ending on The Scottsboro Trial, since the trial scene in TKAM is heavily based on this
Students read through the script of the TKAM film to finish this section of the novel as a play, and we read through the majority of the scene. Students who missed class need to read Chapter 17-21 to catch up.
Today, the goal of class was to start reading Antigone. Since this is the third part of a trilogy, part of class was dedicated to going over the plotlines of Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus, along with a visual family tree to get a better understanding of how these characters are connected.
As a class, we read through the prologue and the opening of Scene 1, and will continue on monday.
10th Grade - First, sophomores took a vocabulary test over the commonly misused words that were studied this past week. We also had the last few student presentations, with most periods ending on The Scottsboro Trial, since the trial scene in TKAM is heavily based on this
Students read through the script of the TKAM film to finish this section of the novel as a play, and we read through the majority of the scene. Students who missed class need to read Chapter 17-21 to catch up.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Feb. 24th Daily Plan
9th Grade - Today we introduced the concept of the tragic hero, and the class took notes on an overview of Greek Theatre and the history of the genre of tragedy.
We discussed the role of theatre in ancient Greece, and how important Dionysus was as a god for the theatre. Plays were written as part of popular competition, and the format that traditional tragedies follow stems from the plays that were successful.
Generally, we looked at three main components of any tragedy -
1) The play evokes feelings of fear and pity.
2) The tragic hero is generally good, and therefore relatable.
3) The tragic hero must perform an action that causes their own downfall.
We also had four vocabulary words surrounding Greek tragedy -
Hamartia - The Tragic Error - the mistake that brings down the hero. Often mistaken as a "fatal flaw" in their personality, but this can really just be a mistake they make.
Hubris - violent transgression - usually mistaken for "too much pride," this really means the Hero has done something that goes against the gods/order of nature.
Nemesis - retribution from the cosmos (the revenge of the gods/nature)-
Peripateia - plot reversal. The moment when the hero realizes that things are falling apart, understanding of his or her own hubris.
Student spend the second half of class working in pairs to create a short tragic story. We will present these at the beginning of class tomorrow.
10th Grade - First, students were reminded that the Reader Response Journals are a significant portion of their grade at this point, and if they are not turned in by the end of the week, it can adversely affect their grade in class by a 8-9%.
Sophomores looked at some background information about the criminal justice system, as well as statistics about prison incarceration rates, wrongful imprisonment, and witness reliability. This is because the next section of TKAM takes place in a courtroom, and much of this information is useful to know as we watch the plot unfold.
Students had a brief review period for the vocab words (commonly misued words), and then had the option to either
a) read CH 16 as a class
b) read CH 16 silently by themselves
c) if they have already read CH 16, work on the next set of journal entries.
Homework - CH 16 if not complete.
We discussed the role of theatre in ancient Greece, and how important Dionysus was as a god for the theatre. Plays were written as part of popular competition, and the format that traditional tragedies follow stems from the plays that were successful.
Generally, we looked at three main components of any tragedy -
1) The play evokes feelings of fear and pity.
2) The tragic hero is generally good, and therefore relatable.
3) The tragic hero must perform an action that causes their own downfall.
We also had four vocabulary words surrounding Greek tragedy -
Hamartia - The Tragic Error - the mistake that brings down the hero. Often mistaken as a "fatal flaw" in their personality, but this can really just be a mistake they make.
Hubris - violent transgression - usually mistaken for "too much pride," this really means the Hero has done something that goes against the gods/order of nature.
Nemesis - retribution from the cosmos (the revenge of the gods/nature)-
Peripateia - plot reversal. The moment when the hero realizes that things are falling apart, understanding of his or her own hubris.
Student spend the second half of class working in pairs to create a short tragic story. We will present these at the beginning of class tomorrow.
10th Grade - First, students were reminded that the Reader Response Journals are a significant portion of their grade at this point, and if they are not turned in by the end of the week, it can adversely affect their grade in class by a 8-9%.
Sophomores looked at some background information about the criminal justice system, as well as statistics about prison incarceration rates, wrongful imprisonment, and witness reliability. This is because the next section of TKAM takes place in a courtroom, and much of this information is useful to know as we watch the plot unfold.
Students had a brief review period for the vocab words (commonly misued words), and then had the option to either
a) read CH 16 as a class
b) read CH 16 silently by themselves
c) if they have already read CH 16, work on the next set of journal entries.
Homework - CH 16 if not complete.
Feb 23rd Daily Plan
9th Grade - We finished up working with the idea of the Hero archetype, by developing very specific criteria for what makes someone a hero. Students completed a worksheet with 10 different scenarios, in which they had to rank them in order from "most heroic" to "least heroic." After ranking these, we discussed as a class why certain scenarios would be considered more heroic than others.
General criteria the class agreed upon - to make an act heroic, there must be an element of risk/danger, the hero should NOT be obligated to enter the dangerous situation, and the goal should be to help someone/save a life.
Students also completed a journal entry composed of three parts - 1) why they made their choices for "most" and "least" on the worksheet, 2) Someone they personally consider a hero, and 3) if their personal hero matches the criteria they cose.
10th Grade - We added in the last set of vocabulary words for the quiz tomorrow - affect and effect, accept and except.
Students also were asked to turn in their first five Reader Response Journal Entries, which are a significant portion of the TKAM unit. We had another couple of student presentations, and then worked on an in-class project called a body biography.
For the body biographies, students chose a character from TKAM and sketched them out as a blank body - inside the body various facts and inferences about that character's personality and history were written to give a more complete idea of that character.
General criteria the class agreed upon - to make an act heroic, there must be an element of risk/danger, the hero should NOT be obligated to enter the dangerous situation, and the goal should be to help someone/save a life.
Students also completed a journal entry composed of three parts - 1) why they made their choices for "most" and "least" on the worksheet, 2) Someone they personally consider a hero, and 3) if their personal hero matches the criteria they cose.
10th Grade - We added in the last set of vocabulary words for the quiz tomorrow - affect and effect, accept and except.
Students also were asked to turn in their first five Reader Response Journal Entries, which are a significant portion of the TKAM unit. We had another couple of student presentations, and then worked on an in-class project called a body biography.
For the body biographies, students chose a character from TKAM and sketched them out as a blank body - inside the body various facts and inferences about that character's personality and history were written to give a more complete idea of that character.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Feb. 18th Daily Plan
Apologies for not getting this up sooner!
9th Grade - We spent this class period finishing watching "The Lion King" as a case study for the achetypical Hero Quest. Looking at the outline of the various steps involved in the Hero Quest, this story clearly exemplifies 14/15 steps that Joseph Campbell describes. Students completed the worksheet that we started yesterday and turned these in for credit. This week (2/23-2/25) we will be using these archetypes and applying these theories into classical Greek tragedy by reading Antigone.
10th Grade - Sophomores had an opportunity to recover some credit if they did not perform to standard on the exam over Part 1 of TKAM. We watched two short videos in class; one discussing a town in Mississippi that had its first integrated prom in 2008, and another looking at some of the major achievements of the African-American population in the early 20th century (since much of what we have discussed regarding TKAM victimizes the African-American population of the U.S., I believe it is a good idea to show students some of the more positive changes that were occuring between Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Movement).
Extra Credit Opportunities for 10th Grade -
1) Take Notes and write a reflection on the videos watched (in-class)
2) Write an additional journal entry over Part 1 of the book (so turning in six entries on 2/23 instead of 5).
These are both one-off options; they are completed and turned in when requested and cannot be given at a later time.
HOMEWORK - Read through CH 14; 5 journal entries due Wednesday, 2/23.
9th Grade - We spent this class period finishing watching "The Lion King" as a case study for the achetypical Hero Quest. Looking at the outline of the various steps involved in the Hero Quest, this story clearly exemplifies 14/15 steps that Joseph Campbell describes. Students completed the worksheet that we started yesterday and turned these in for credit. This week (2/23-2/25) we will be using these archetypes and applying these theories into classical Greek tragedy by reading Antigone.
10th Grade - Sophomores had an opportunity to recover some credit if they did not perform to standard on the exam over Part 1 of TKAM. We watched two short videos in class; one discussing a town in Mississippi that had its first integrated prom in 2008, and another looking at some of the major achievements of the African-American population in the early 20th century (since much of what we have discussed regarding TKAM victimizes the African-American population of the U.S., I believe it is a good idea to show students some of the more positive changes that were occuring between Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Movement).
Extra Credit Opportunities for 10th Grade -
1) Take Notes and write a reflection on the videos watched (in-class)
2) Write an additional journal entry over Part 1 of the book (so turning in six entries on 2/23 instead of 5).
These are both one-off options; they are completed and turned in when requested and cannot be given at a later time.
HOMEWORK - Read through CH 14; 5 journal entries due Wednesday, 2/23.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Feb. 17th Daily Plan
9th Grade - Students started attachiing the Hero-Quest Archetype information into an actual model - we are watching Disney's "The Lion King" as a demonstration of how this archetype works. Students were given a worksheet with the 15 steps of the Hero Quest, and also have their notes to get more information on what each step specifically entails.
We spent the day watching the film and making connections between the storyline and the traditional Hero Quest. Both freshmen classes have made it through most of Part A - The Departure portion of this model, and should be close to concluding the film today.
Posters turned in Feb. 17th received 90% max credit (with an exception for excused absences during work-days). Posters turned in Feb. 18th receive 80% max credit. Each day late drops another 10%.
10th Grade - We discussed the results of Wednesday's test, which were incredibly varied. On the plus side, many students did exceptionally well, with 10 students finishing with the highest scores they have achieved in my class. Major respect for those that put in the extra time and effort to make sure they did well, because it really paid off.
The biggest concern I had with many student responses was a lack of clarity - an answer that does not provide details from the text does not prove to the reader (the teacher) that you have actually read the book and know what you are discussing. A detailed answer provides this, and it makes it immediately clear how much you know about what you are reading.
We also started a new vocabulary list, focused on commonly misused words, because I have been seeing a pattern in student writing.
First set - there, their, they're.
Finally, we read Chapter 12 in class, as this is a pivotal position in the novel and I wanted to make sure everyone is very clear as to the plotline as we move into part 2.
Homework - Read Ch. 13.
We spent the day watching the film and making connections between the storyline and the traditional Hero Quest. Both freshmen classes have made it through most of Part A - The Departure portion of this model, and should be close to concluding the film today.
Posters turned in Feb. 17th received 90% max credit (with an exception for excused absences during work-days). Posters turned in Feb. 18th receive 80% max credit. Each day late drops another 10%.
10th Grade - We discussed the results of Wednesday's test, which were incredibly varied. On the plus side, many students did exceptionally well, with 10 students finishing with the highest scores they have achieved in my class. Major respect for those that put in the extra time and effort to make sure they did well, because it really paid off.
The biggest concern I had with many student responses was a lack of clarity - an answer that does not provide details from the text does not prove to the reader (the teacher) that you have actually read the book and know what you are discussing. A detailed answer provides this, and it makes it immediately clear how much you know about what you are reading.
We also started a new vocabulary list, focused on commonly misused words, because I have been seeing a pattern in student writing.
First set - there, their, they're.
Finally, we read Chapter 12 in class, as this is a pivotal position in the novel and I wanted to make sure everyone is very clear as to the plotline as we move into part 2.
Homework - Read Ch. 13.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Feb. 16th Daily Plan
9th Grade - Today our class essentially finished the Greek Gods Poster Project, with the exception of students having everything fully cited. I want to make sure that everyone is learning to cite sources in the correct format, so we have held off on adding citations onto the posters until next week.
What was due in class today was a completed poster (image, two summaries, one analysis). If students already had a properly formatted works cited page, they could also add that on, but it did not count against the students who did not have it.
We are setting up to start reading Antigone next week, which is the central text of the mythology unit. Before reading this, we are also going in greater depth with the Hero-Quest Archetype, and took notes over this in class today.
The outline of the Hero Quest comes from the author Joseph Campbell, who is an authority on mythology. He has created a 15-step template for the archetypical Hero Quest, and we will be watching how this plays out in popular film over the next wto days.
10th Grade - Students took the test over Part One of To Kill a Mockingbird, which covered both the content of the novel, and also had the last weeks vocabulary section added on as well.
Bonus points were awarded to students who had a fully completed study guide turned in when I requested them BEFORE taking the exam; study guides completed/turned in afterwards do not count for a grade (they do not count against students, either).
The class was given the entire period to work on the exam, and could work on Journal Entries, missing assignments, or read when completed.
No homework tonight.
What was due in class today was a completed poster (image, two summaries, one analysis). If students already had a properly formatted works cited page, they could also add that on, but it did not count against the students who did not have it.
We are setting up to start reading Antigone next week, which is the central text of the mythology unit. Before reading this, we are also going in greater depth with the Hero-Quest Archetype, and took notes over this in class today.
The outline of the Hero Quest comes from the author Joseph Campbell, who is an authority on mythology. He has created a 15-step template for the archetypical Hero Quest, and we will be watching how this plays out in popular film over the next wto days.
10th Grade - Students took the test over Part One of To Kill a Mockingbird, which covered both the content of the novel, and also had the last weeks vocabulary section added on as well.
Bonus points were awarded to students who had a fully completed study guide turned in when I requested them BEFORE taking the exam; study guides completed/turned in afterwards do not count for a grade (they do not count against students, either).
The class was given the entire period to work on the exam, and could work on Journal Entries, missing assignments, or read when completed.
No homework tonight.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Feb. 14th Daily Plan
9th Grade - Students are at the finishing stages of the Greek Gods Poster Project. Everyone is expected to have their summaries and images completed, so that we can focus on the analysis of the myths today/tomorrow.
To help students through analysis, I ran through a full model of what I am expected. Using the myth of Persephone that I used to demonstrate summary, I showed students -
1) How I would read through the summary to look for important information.
2) What questions I would ask as I am reading, to figure out what should be looked at in greater depth
3) Themes/larger ideas apparent in the writing, and what questions these also raise.
The next step was demonstrating how to apply these to a written analysis, and again, I provided a model for the students of what an (approximately) 250 word summary looks like.
Students were provided a worksheet to help them move from summary to analysis.
We will be in the library/computer lab tomorrow to actually type up the analysis portion.
HOMEWORK - Finish worksheet; rough draft of analysis.
10th Grade - We are prepping for a test over Part 1 of To Kill a Mockingbird, so I provided students with a study guide to be filled out today/tomorrow in class.
The goal is that students have a very clear idea of what material is expected of them in this exam, and that we are only looking at information that is useful in understanding the deeper themes and conflicts in the novel. Therefore, most questions will be focused on major events and key details in chapter 1-11.
We worked through chapters 10-11 as a class, so that everyone was on the same page about what information they are looking for.
The exam will have short answer questions based on these events and details, as well as basic character information.
Finally, the vocab test (9 words) will be a part of this test. Expect to be able to WRITE SENTENCES that demonstrate understanding of a word's meaning.
HOMEWORK - complete study guide.
To help students through analysis, I ran through a full model of what I am expected. Using the myth of Persephone that I used to demonstrate summary, I showed students -
1) How I would read through the summary to look for important information.
2) What questions I would ask as I am reading, to figure out what should be looked at in greater depth
3) Themes/larger ideas apparent in the writing, and what questions these also raise.
The next step was demonstrating how to apply these to a written analysis, and again, I provided a model for the students of what an (approximately) 250 word summary looks like.
Students were provided a worksheet to help them move from summary to analysis.
We will be in the library/computer lab tomorrow to actually type up the analysis portion.
HOMEWORK - Finish worksheet; rough draft of analysis.
10th Grade - We are prepping for a test over Part 1 of To Kill a Mockingbird, so I provided students with a study guide to be filled out today/tomorrow in class.
The goal is that students have a very clear idea of what material is expected of them in this exam, and that we are only looking at information that is useful in understanding the deeper themes and conflicts in the novel. Therefore, most questions will be focused on major events and key details in chapter 1-11.
We worked through chapters 10-11 as a class, so that everyone was on the same page about what information they are looking for.
The exam will have short answer questions based on these events and details, as well as basic character information.
Finally, the vocab test (9 words) will be a part of this test. Expect to be able to WRITE SENTENCES that demonstrate understanding of a word's meaning.
HOMEWORK - complete study guide.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Feb. 11th Daily Plan
9th Grade - Both class periods spent today working on the Greek Gods Poster. However, 3rd and 7th hour students worked on different aspects of the project, because of some issues with internet connections during the end of the day.
This means that 3rd hour students have their summaries mostly complete, and spent today working on the visual aspects of their posters. Because 7th hour students were unable to use the internet yesterday, they have already started on the visual aspects, and had today to work on both completing the visual, or finishing the summaries.
HOMEWORK - Finish summaries if not complete.
10th Grade - Sophomores worked on a group review activity for the events thus far in To Kill a Mockingbird.
In groups of three, students were asked to create a sociogram for the major characters thus far in the story - Scout, Jem, Dill, Atticus, Calpurnia, Boo Radley, Miss Maudie, and Miss Caroline.
To clarify - a sociogram is a visual representation of the connections between a social group. There are many ways that students could choose to organize theirs (a web of connections, a timeline+web, an orbital system around a character, etc).
The required information in each sociogram - all major characters represented; quotes/descriptions/passages that explain the connections between characters.
These are graded on three components - clarity (can someone figure this out without a student explaining it?), information (are there quotes and descriptions of each character), accuracy (is the information provided correct?).
HOMEWORK - Read Chapters 10 and 11 for monday; have a good weekend.
This means that 3rd hour students have their summaries mostly complete, and spent today working on the visual aspects of their posters. Because 7th hour students were unable to use the internet yesterday, they have already started on the visual aspects, and had today to work on both completing the visual, or finishing the summaries.
HOMEWORK - Finish summaries if not complete.
10th Grade - Sophomores worked on a group review activity for the events thus far in To Kill a Mockingbird.
In groups of three, students were asked to create a sociogram for the major characters thus far in the story - Scout, Jem, Dill, Atticus, Calpurnia, Boo Radley, Miss Maudie, and Miss Caroline.
To clarify - a sociogram is a visual representation of the connections between a social group. There are many ways that students could choose to organize theirs (a web of connections, a timeline+web, an orbital system around a character, etc).
The required information in each sociogram - all major characters represented; quotes/descriptions/passages that explain the connections between characters.
These are graded on three components - clarity (can someone figure this out without a student explaining it?), information (are there quotes and descriptions of each character), accuracy (is the information provided correct?).
HOMEWORK - Read Chapters 10 and 11 for monday; have a good weekend.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Feb 10th Daily Plan
9th Grade - Freshmen had this as the last library day to do some of their myth research, and the goal for the class period was to have both myths summarized. Students had the full period in the library to work on their summaries, and I collected copies of what was completed to give credit to those who have been working hard.
Both summaries are due in-class tomorrow. If you did not complete them while we were at the library today, then this becomes a homework assignment to gain back credit.
HOMEWORK - Finish both summaries for the Greek Gods Poster Project.
10th Grade - Sophomores had several shorter activities today. First, we are spending more time on vocab, and working to make sure that students better understand how to use the vocabulary words in context. In addition to knowing the definitions of each word, students are expected to have their own example sentences written for each word.
We had another couple of context presentations today; the topics presented depended on which class period. For tomorrow, Pulitzer Prize and Truman Capote groups should be ready to present for all three class periods.
Students also had time to work on another entry in their Reader Response Journals for TKAM. I explained to the classes that I will be collecting the first five entries sometime next week, and that I will not provide prompts for each entry - students must come up with their own topics to write about, it addition to what we write about in class.
Finally, I gave a "Mock Quiz" over chapters 6-9 of TKAM. I explained to the classes that this quiz would be ungraded, but it would serve as the gauge for future reading quizzes over this novel. If students did well AS A CLASS, then the likelihood of future quizzes goes down, and more time can be spent focusing on discussion and other activities.
However, if it is clear that the class needs to be held more accountable for out-of-school reading, then students can expect regular reading quizzes.
RESULTS -
Per 1 - Expect several quizzes next week.
Per 4 - Expect a quiz next week.
Per 5 - Expect a quiz next week.
HOMEWORK - Chapters 10 and 11 by Monday.
Both summaries are due in-class tomorrow. If you did not complete them while we were at the library today, then this becomes a homework assignment to gain back credit.
HOMEWORK - Finish both summaries for the Greek Gods Poster Project.
10th Grade - Sophomores had several shorter activities today. First, we are spending more time on vocab, and working to make sure that students better understand how to use the vocabulary words in context. In addition to knowing the definitions of each word, students are expected to have their own example sentences written for each word.
We had another couple of context presentations today; the topics presented depended on which class period. For tomorrow, Pulitzer Prize and Truman Capote groups should be ready to present for all three class periods.
Students also had time to work on another entry in their Reader Response Journals for TKAM. I explained to the classes that I will be collecting the first five entries sometime next week, and that I will not provide prompts for each entry - students must come up with their own topics to write about, it addition to what we write about in class.
Finally, I gave a "Mock Quiz" over chapters 6-9 of TKAM. I explained to the classes that this quiz would be ungraded, but it would serve as the gauge for future reading quizzes over this novel. If students did well AS A CLASS, then the likelihood of future quizzes goes down, and more time can be spent focusing on discussion and other activities.
However, if it is clear that the class needs to be held more accountable for out-of-school reading, then students can expect regular reading quizzes.
RESULTS -
Per 1 - Expect several quizzes next week.
Per 4 - Expect a quiz next week.
Per 5 - Expect a quiz next week.
HOMEWORK - Chapters 10 and 11 by Monday.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Feb 9th Daily Plan
9th Grade - I reviewed the vocab quizzes with the students, and we talked about the need to spend more time making sure students understand the vocab overall before moving on. So from now on, whenever we add new words in, we will also do a little review and sentence construction using those new words to make sure students are understanding them.
Most of the day was spent in the library to continue on the Greek Gods Poster Project.
I provided some models of what was expected for today's research. To demonstrate, I ran through a section of the assignment myself, looking at the myth of Persephone. Students were shown the types of notes I would take in a notebook to get a sketch of the story, as well as what a 250 word summary looks like (about 3/4 of a page, double-spaced). If you missed class today, see me for specifics.
Library Research Goal - Have two myths chosen, start writing the summaries.
10th Grade - We also reviewed the vocab quizzes, and had the same general discussion as 9th grade - more time will be spent on each set of vocab words to make sure students are understanding before moving on to the next set.
New Vocab - dispensation, contentious, inordinate.
Students presented on another couple of topics. Depending on the class period, we looked at the WPA or the New Deal. Prohibition and Pulitzer Prize groups can expect to present tomorrow and Friday.
We also had a short activity looking at the idea of conflict. Students were given a worksheet with several scenarios that could potentially lead to conflict. The goal was to rank these scenarios in order of "least likely to enter into a conflict" to "most likely to enter into a conflict."
We discussed the responses as a class to develop criteria for what is worth fighting about. General ideas that came up across all three classes -
Protection of loved ones (ex. defending a friend)
Lack of information (ex. Getting broken up with, but not being told why)
Equity (ex. Getting skipped over in a line)
Homework - Read CH 9
Most of the day was spent in the library to continue on the Greek Gods Poster Project.
I provided some models of what was expected for today's research. To demonstrate, I ran through a section of the assignment myself, looking at the myth of Persephone. Students were shown the types of notes I would take in a notebook to get a sketch of the story, as well as what a 250 word summary looks like (about 3/4 of a page, double-spaced). If you missed class today, see me for specifics.
Library Research Goal - Have two myths chosen, start writing the summaries.
10th Grade - We also reviewed the vocab quizzes, and had the same general discussion as 9th grade - more time will be spent on each set of vocab words to make sure students are understanding before moving on to the next set.
New Vocab - dispensation, contentious, inordinate.
Students presented on another couple of topics. Depending on the class period, we looked at the WPA or the New Deal. Prohibition and Pulitzer Prize groups can expect to present tomorrow and Friday.
We also had a short activity looking at the idea of conflict. Students were given a worksheet with several scenarios that could potentially lead to conflict. The goal was to rank these scenarios in order of "least likely to enter into a conflict" to "most likely to enter into a conflict."
We discussed the responses as a class to develop criteria for what is worth fighting about. General ideas that came up across all three classes -
Protection of loved ones (ex. defending a friend)
Lack of information (ex. Getting broken up with, but not being told why)
Equity (ex. Getting skipped over in a line)
Homework - Read CH 9
Credit Recovery Opportunity - 9th and 10th Grade
So you didn't do so great on the vocab quiz . . . well here is a shot to earn back a couple of points.
You have until 11:59, 2/9/11 to comment on this post.
Your comment needs your FIRST NAME and CLASS PERIOD.
Your comment must have 3 SENTENCES that demonstrate understanding of 3 VOCABULARY WORDS. Do not just give me the definitions, but USE THE WORDS IN SENTENCES that clearly display the meaning of the words.
You can pick any words you want from the last set.
You CANNOT copy the previous poster's sentence - your's must be ORIGINAL.
(This is an all-or-nothing deal; if you comment correctly, you get three points back.)
You have until 11:59, 2/9/11 to comment on this post.
Your comment needs your FIRST NAME and CLASS PERIOD.
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Feb. 8th Daily Plan
9th Grade - Freshmen had their first vocab quiz for the mythology unit, and we also started working on the Greek Gods Poster Project in the library.
For the vocab quiz - this has demonstrated that students definitely need to be STUDYING their vocab more than they have been. The students that actually reviewed the words the day before did really well. Those that left their notes in class . . . did not. Something to think about for the next round.
With the library project - the first day was spent getting some of the background information on student's specific gods. In class tomorrow, we will discuss exactly what information is expected in a summary, so the primary goal will be to have TWO MYTHS found that you plan on using.
10th Grade - Sophomores also had their first vocab quiz for the TKAM unit, which had similar scores to the freshmen class - those that mentioned studying the day before did very well, and those that left their notes in class did not.
As a result, I believe I'm going to start grading notebooks at the end of the week . . .
We also discussed the last several chapters of TKAM, to make sure that everyone is understanding the plot and catching some of the subtleties in the writing. The way I presented this to students - if we are going to have a class conversation over the content of the story, I expect EVERYONE to be able to contribute to the discussion. If it is clear that everyone has read (either by demonstrating knowledge of what has occurred, or asking specific questions if students do not understand), then it is less likely that we will have regular quizzes over the reading.
On the other hand, if class discussions are clearly carried by a small group of students, then we will have to have reading quizzes to provide accountability.
HOMEWORK - Read CH 7 and 8, turn in Presentation Summaries (late, zero credit if not in by Friday).
For the vocab quiz - this has demonstrated that students definitely need to be STUDYING their vocab more than they have been. The students that actually reviewed the words the day before did really well. Those that left their notes in class . . . did not. Something to think about for the next round.
With the library project - the first day was spent getting some of the background information on student's specific gods. In class tomorrow, we will discuss exactly what information is expected in a summary, so the primary goal will be to have TWO MYTHS found that you plan on using.
10th Grade - Sophomores also had their first vocab quiz for the TKAM unit, which had similar scores to the freshmen class - those that mentioned studying the day before did very well, and those that left their notes in class did not.
As a result, I believe I'm going to start grading notebooks at the end of the week . . .
We also discussed the last several chapters of TKAM, to make sure that everyone is understanding the plot and catching some of the subtleties in the writing. The way I presented this to students - if we are going to have a class conversation over the content of the story, I expect EVERYONE to be able to contribute to the discussion. If it is clear that everyone has read (either by demonstrating knowledge of what has occurred, or asking specific questions if students do not understand), then it is less likely that we will have regular quizzes over the reading.
On the other hand, if class discussions are clearly carried by a small group of students, then we will have to have reading quizzes to provide accountability.
HOMEWORK - Read CH 7 and 8, turn in Presentation Summaries (late, zero credit if not in by Friday).
Monday, February 7, 2011
Feb. 7th Daily Plan
9th Grade - We are beginning to shift away from overall mythic archetypes and ideas, and into specific information regarding Greek mythology. This is because the main text for this unit, Antigone, is firmly rooted in Greek culture.
New Vocab - anthropology, epitome, pantheon
To gain more background knowledge as to how the Greek gods are connecting to ideals of Greek civilization, students will be doing a short research project individually. Each student will be assigned a Greek god tomorrow, and will have the following couple of days in the library to find information regarding -
1) The Origin Myth - Where does your choice come from?
2) A myth of your choice - What does the story about your choice say about Greek civilization and values?
The final project will be poster, which requires a drawn image, two summarized myths+analysis, and a properly done works cited page.
Students have had a hard time accurately finishing a works cited thus far, so for this project, it is all-or-nothing. Either the works cited is PERFECT, or it receives NO CREDIT.
10th Grade - The overall focus on this lesson was the on the power of words, particularly words that are derogatory to specific groups of people. We discussed the connection to TKAM, as many of the characters use language that would be considered offensive in contemporary social circles.
Students were provided the guidelines for the Reader Response Journals, an on-going assignment to be completed as we read TKAM. Some of the writing prompts will be given in class, but students are also expected to come up with a few prompt ideas of their own to write about.
New Vocab - vapid, entailment, domicile
The class read two articles reviewing the use of the n-word in modern society. We discussed the idea of context changing meaning, as well as audience. The last part of class allowed students some time to write a reflection on the conversation as part of the Reader Response Journals.
New Vocab - anthropology, epitome, pantheon
To gain more background knowledge as to how the Greek gods are connecting to ideals of Greek civilization, students will be doing a short research project individually. Each student will be assigned a Greek god tomorrow, and will have the following couple of days in the library to find information regarding -
1) The Origin Myth - Where does your choice come from?
2) A myth of your choice - What does the story about your choice say about Greek civilization and values?
The final project will be poster, which requires a drawn image, two summarized myths+analysis, and a properly done works cited page.
Students have had a hard time accurately finishing a works cited thus far, so for this project, it is all-or-nothing. Either the works cited is PERFECT, or it receives NO CREDIT.
10th Grade - The overall focus on this lesson was the on the power of words, particularly words that are derogatory to specific groups of people. We discussed the connection to TKAM, as many of the characters use language that would be considered offensive in contemporary social circles.
Students were provided the guidelines for the Reader Response Journals, an on-going assignment to be completed as we read TKAM. Some of the writing prompts will be given in class, but students are also expected to come up with a few prompt ideas of their own to write about.
New Vocab - vapid, entailment, domicile
The class read two articles reviewing the use of the n-word in modern society. We discussed the idea of context changing meaning, as well as audience. The last part of class allowed students some time to write a reflection on the conversation as part of the Reader Response Journals.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Feb. 4th Daily Plan
9th Grade - As we continue our mythology unit, we took time today to particularly focus on archetypes. There are certain types of characters that appear throughout all mythologies, and can be found in many different cultures. I provided several examples to the class (for example, the wise old man), and students were asked to develop lists of contemporary examples that fit.
The characters we discussed -
The Trickster, The Sage (The Wise Old Man), The Hero, The Mentor, The Devil/Demon
We also discussed the psychological usage of the term "archetype," which divides personality into three categories -
The Self, The Shadow, The Persona. Of these three, we focused primarily on the Persona; which is the "mask" that each person wears when interacting with others. I explained to the students how everyone acts different based on the people around them, and these differences define the Persona.
JOURNAL ENTRY - Describe how your persona changes in three different environments. One-page minimum.
New Vocab - ritual, allegory
10th Grade - First, all SUMMARIES for the Research Mini-Project are due by hard copy or by e-mail by end of day today.
From this point on, most of the reading for TKAM is expected to be done outside of class. In-class today, we discussed the idea of symbolism, and how author's will pick particular names for characters that help define them as people.
The contemporary examples I used were from the films "The Truman Show" and "The Matrix."
The Truman Show, for those that have not seen it, is a film starring Jim Carey, where his character is unknowingly the star of a reality-TV show from birth. Therefore, it makes sense that his character would be named Truman (True Man), since he is the only genuine person.
The class looked at four names from TKAM - Finch, Atticus, Scout, and Calpurnia. They completed a worksheet in class that compared the literal meaning, the symbolism in TKAM, and provided examples from the text.
New Vocab - diminuitive, indigenous, auspicious.
HOMEWORK - Read CH 4 for Monday, as we are discussing. If EVERYONE is able to contribute and has read, no quiz for the next following chapters. If not . . . let's just call this foreshadowing.
The characters we discussed -
The Trickster, The Sage (The Wise Old Man), The Hero, The Mentor, The Devil/Demon
We also discussed the psychological usage of the term "archetype," which divides personality into three categories -
The Self, The Shadow, The Persona. Of these three, we focused primarily on the Persona; which is the "mask" that each person wears when interacting with others. I explained to the students how everyone acts different based on the people around them, and these differences define the Persona.
JOURNAL ENTRY - Describe how your persona changes in three different environments. One-page minimum.
New Vocab - ritual, allegory
10th Grade - First, all SUMMARIES for the Research Mini-Project are due by hard copy or by e-mail by end of day today.
From this point on, most of the reading for TKAM is expected to be done outside of class. In-class today, we discussed the idea of symbolism, and how author's will pick particular names for characters that help define them as people.
The contemporary examples I used were from the films "The Truman Show" and "The Matrix."
The Truman Show, for those that have not seen it, is a film starring Jim Carey, where his character is unknowingly the star of a reality-TV show from birth. Therefore, it makes sense that his character would be named Truman (True Man), since he is the only genuine person.
The class looked at four names from TKAM - Finch, Atticus, Scout, and Calpurnia. They completed a worksheet in class that compared the literal meaning, the symbolism in TKAM, and provided examples from the text.
New Vocab - diminuitive, indigenous, auspicious.
HOMEWORK - Read CH 4 for Monday, as we are discussing. If EVERYONE is able to contribute and has read, no quiz for the next following chapters. If not . . . let's just call this foreshadowing.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Feb. 3rd Daily Plan
9th Grade - We continued our discussion about creation myths, and common human experiences that influence them. While many of the myths that we reviewed shared many similar qualities (an all-powerful creator, the development of the world from darkness or chaos, the development of humans and animals), each myth has some unique qualities as well.
These unique qualities are often a result of geography. For example, Greece and Japan have creation myths which heavily emphasize the ocean. This is expected because Greece is coastal and has many islands, and Japan is entirely islands.
Freshmen also added three new vocabulary words - archetype, collective unconscious, personal unconscious.
We also discussed means of transmitting myths and stories. Traditionally, we have two options - oral or written. To look at the pros and cons of both methods, students played a game. In teams, we essentially played "telephone" with Aesop's fables. The first student would hear the actual story, and then transmit it to the next team member, and so on. The final student would write the story down, and we would compare it to the original to see what modifications occur with oral transmission.
10th Grade - Sophomores continued through the beginning of TKAM, and we read through CH 2 in-class. We discussed the reliability of the narrator - as this story is told from a 1st-person point of view, and it is clear that the narrator is talking about a point in their childhood, I asked students how trustworthy they feel the narration is.
We have also added three vocabulary words for the day - placidly, amiable, and nebulous.
As an experiment, the first in-class writing entry for TKAM involves recall. I asked students to take 10 minutes to write down their earliest memory, in as much detail as possible.
Homework - Read CH 3; Research Mini-Project summaries due through e-mail.
These unique qualities are often a result of geography. For example, Greece and Japan have creation myths which heavily emphasize the ocean. This is expected because Greece is coastal and has many islands, and Japan is entirely islands.
Freshmen also added three new vocabulary words - archetype, collective unconscious, personal unconscious.
We also discussed means of transmitting myths and stories. Traditionally, we have two options - oral or written. To look at the pros and cons of both methods, students played a game. In teams, we essentially played "telephone" with Aesop's fables. The first student would hear the actual story, and then transmit it to the next team member, and so on. The final student would write the story down, and we would compare it to the original to see what modifications occur with oral transmission.
10th Grade - Sophomores continued through the beginning of TKAM, and we read through CH 2 in-class. We discussed the reliability of the narrator - as this story is told from a 1st-person point of view, and it is clear that the narrator is talking about a point in their childhood, I asked students how trustworthy they feel the narration is.
We have also added three vocabulary words for the day - placidly, amiable, and nebulous.
As an experiment, the first in-class writing entry for TKAM involves recall. I asked students to take 10 minutes to write down their earliest memory, in as much detail as possible.
Homework - Read CH 3; Research Mini-Project summaries due through e-mail.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Feb 2nd Daily Plan
9th Grade - Freshmen are continuing in their unit focused on Mythology. Today we discussed the idea that the creation of mythology is an ongoing process, and that there are many myths alive today, and in every society.
Part of the reason for this is that people of all societies throughout history have generally had the same wants and needs. To demonstrate this, students were asked what their goals were in the next 25 years. In very general terms, these goals are the same as they would be for any cultural group (be successful, have a good job, marriage, family), and at any point in time.
We continued this conversation by discussing rites of passage, another cultural commonality. Students found examples of rites of passage in modern day American culture, and we briefly compared these to historical examples.
Finally, students performed an activity in small groups. Each group was assigned two creation myths from different cultures, and were asked to find commonalities between their myths. Finally, the class came together to list the commonalities of all the creation myths discussed.
10th Grade - Sophomores started reading To Kill a Mockingbird in class today. We are continuing to set context throughout the reading by having students share their research findings from the previous class periods. Today, the group that researched The Great Depression presented, to help provide a greater understanding of the setting.
I spoke to the class about reading strategy as we started the book as well. Basically, I explained to students that in order to best understand and enjoy this novel, they should read it primarily as a story. What this means is that rather than read through the book as a textbook searching for information, they should read it for the sake of getting involved in a storyline. Overall, this will provide greater enjoyment, engagement, and understanding.
I also explained to students my goals for outside-of-class reading of TKAM. For the sake of using class time effectively, it is best that the students do the majority of reading at home, so we can use the time in class to discuss and delve deeper into some of the issues raised in the novel.
However, to do this well, students must be coming to class prepared. If students are all able to come to class and contribute to class discussion and can demonstrate comprehension, I'm psyched and less class time can be devoted to reading, and quizzes over the previous night's reading. Win-win situation.
Homework - Complete Chapter 1.
Part of the reason for this is that people of all societies throughout history have generally had the same wants and needs. To demonstrate this, students were asked what their goals were in the next 25 years. In very general terms, these goals are the same as they would be for any cultural group (be successful, have a good job, marriage, family), and at any point in time.
We continued this conversation by discussing rites of passage, another cultural commonality. Students found examples of rites of passage in modern day American culture, and we briefly compared these to historical examples.
Finally, students performed an activity in small groups. Each group was assigned two creation myths from different cultures, and were asked to find commonalities between their myths. Finally, the class came together to list the commonalities of all the creation myths discussed.
10th Grade - Sophomores started reading To Kill a Mockingbird in class today. We are continuing to set context throughout the reading by having students share their research findings from the previous class periods. Today, the group that researched The Great Depression presented, to help provide a greater understanding of the setting.
I spoke to the class about reading strategy as we started the book as well. Basically, I explained to students that in order to best understand and enjoy this novel, they should read it primarily as a story. What this means is that rather than read through the book as a textbook searching for information, they should read it for the sake of getting involved in a storyline. Overall, this will provide greater enjoyment, engagement, and understanding.
I also explained to students my goals for outside-of-class reading of TKAM. For the sake of using class time effectively, it is best that the students do the majority of reading at home, so we can use the time in class to discuss and delve deeper into some of the issues raised in the novel.
However, to do this well, students must be coming to class prepared. If students are all able to come to class and contribute to class discussion and can demonstrate comprehension, I'm psyched and less class time can be devoted to reading, and quizzes over the previous night's reading. Win-win situation.
Homework - Complete Chapter 1.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Feb 1st Daily Plan
9th Grade - Freshmen had a brief discussion over the topic of mythology to start the day, specifically looking at what differentiates the concept of myth from legends, folklore, urban legends, fairy tales, etc.
What was explained to students is that myths generally provide some context for the values and behaviors for a specific society, and that myths are not solely historical.
I provided students with a short list of stories, and asked them to classify which category they thought each story would fall into.
Students also were given time to read in class (S.S.R.)
10th Grade - sophomores spent the majority of the class period reading (S.S.R.), as I've been focusing on making sure that students bring their personal books on a daily basis. Today was also designed to give sophomores a short breather before delving into the text of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Homework - summary for mini-projects due Friday, 2/4.
What was explained to students is that myths generally provide some context for the values and behaviors for a specific society, and that myths are not solely historical.
I provided students with a short list of stories, and asked them to classify which category they thought each story would fall into.
Students also were given time to read in class (S.S.R.)
10th Grade - sophomores spent the majority of the class period reading (S.S.R.), as I've been focusing on making sure that students bring their personal books on a daily basis. Today was also designed to give sophomores a short breather before delving into the text of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Homework - summary for mini-projects due Friday, 2/4.
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