Beah's Sountrack: November 30, 2015

Focus: What soundtrack has Beah chosen for his memoir and why?

1. Warming up with our final, final round of book talks

2. Enjoying a little musical memoir writing to explore the role of Ishmael's cassette tapes

a. Warming up your creative brain with one of these music-inspired writing prompts.

b. Thinking about the purpose of music in A Long Way Gone with your grid groups:

Topic #1: What's the role of music in your life? How many minutes do you spend listening to music a day? What kind? To what purpose?

Topic #2: Reread page 38 and the top of page 39 in A Long Way Gone. Plotwise, what's the role of the cassette tapes in this scene?

Topic #3: Metaphorically, what's the role of the cassette tapes in this scene? Try to think of several bigger ideas the tapes could symbolize and explain the connections.

3. Reading Chapters 9 and 10 and conferencing on your journals/annotations

HW:
Finish reading and annotating Chapters 9 and 10 to prepare for tomorrow's fishbowl discussion.

Talking About Books: November 20, 2015

Focus: What are the qualities of a strong speech?

1. Warming up with an explanation of your exit tickets

• Each of you has an index card. On your index card, please number 1 through 10.

• By each number, write down the name of the person presenting.

• Write down one piece of positive feedback for this person's speech OR one takeaway you have from this person's speech.

• Turn this in at the end of class. It will be worth 10 points in the Growth category. This is an assessment of your listening skills.

2. Enjoying our final round of book talks!

HW: 
1. Your next A Long Way Gone reading assignment is due Tuesday, Dec 1: Chapters 9 and 10 (29 pages--it's the long one, so divide the reading up in a way that works for you).

2. BIG annotation/journals conferences will be happening next Monday and Wednesday. I will be looking for at the following reading assignments:

Monday:
Chapters 1 and 2
Chapters 3, 4, and 5
Chapters 6, 7, and 8

Wednesday: Add Chapters 9 and 10

3. Good food, good friends, good times. Enjoy Thanksgiving.

The Great Outdoors: November 19, 2015

Shortened Class: Advisement Schedule

Focus: How does Beah use setting for a larger purpose?

1. Warming up with yesterday's activity on using setting and imagery to create meaning (click HERE for yesterday's Google doc)

2. Enjoying A Long Way Gone Fishbowl: Chapters 6, 7, and 8

3. Wrapping up with a question, observation, or take-away

HW: 
1. Book talks tomorrow! Woo hoo! If you have not given yours yet, you must be prepared to deliver your speech tomorrow (Friday).

2. Your next A Long Way Gone reading assignment is due Tuesday, Dec 1: Chapters 9 and 10 (29 pages--it's the long one, so divide the reading up in a way that works for you).

Using Setting to Depict Tone: November 18, 2015

PLC: Shortened Class

Focus: How does Beah use setting to create meaning?

1. Warming up: Exploring images with mood/tone prompts

Step 1: Describe the scene linked HERE using your five senses.

Step 2: What human emotions would you connect to this scene? Why?

Step 3: Write three sentences that describe this scene with a specific purpose: to evoke the emotion you described in Step 2.

Ex: Let's say I'm describing this classroom and trying to evoke the tone of anxiety:

The overhead project dangles delicately over my head, threatening to fall at any moment. The faint smell of smoke wafts down from it, and I wonder if a small fire has ignited within its metal prison. The sharp edges of a hard desk jut out by the classroom door and forbid a quick exit.

Repeat: Try this exercise one more time with the scene linked HERE.


2. Connecting back to Beah

"Slowly, we walked on a path through a thick forest. The trees hesitantly swayed with the quiet wind. The sky looked as if it was filled with smoke, endless gray smoke that made the sun dull." (Beah 39)

Click HERE if you need the Google doc version of today's handout on setting and tone.

3. Taking time to start tonight's reading assignment and to conference with Ms. Leclaire on your first rounds of reading journals/annotations

HW:
1. Read Chapters 6, 7, and 8 for Thursday's fishbowl discussion (20 pages); bring your reading journals/annotations to class tomorrow, Wednesday, for our first round of reading conferences.

2. If you haven't given your book talk yet, you will present on Friday.

Dream Analysis and LWG Fishbowl #1: November 17, 2015

Focus: What do dreams reveal about Ishmael's state of mind?

1. Warming up with your first memoir prompt:

• Make a quick list of dreams you've had that you can remember, especially recurring ones.

• Select one dream and describe in as much detail as your brain allows (if you're artistic, you may draw your dream instead).

• Think about what was happening in your waking world when this dream happened. What aspects of your real life was your dream life dealing with? What's the connection?

2. Connecting back to A Long Way Gone: Look back to the two dreams Ishmael has described:

• Reread the two dream passages on pages 14-15 and 18-19.

• What might the specific images from each dream symbolize about what's happening in Ishmael's waking life?

3. Entering our first fishbowl discussion on Chapters 3, 4, and 5 A Long Way Gone...with a few new twists for the outer circle

Blog Correspondent: You need to jump in a hot seat at least once to offer something profound from the outer circle blog.

But What If...: You think "outside the box." You help us wonder what would have happened if...In other words, you need to jump into the hot seat least once with a question that starts with, "But what if..."  
         Example from The Kite Runner: But what if Baba had read Amir's story and told him he was              proud of him?"

Devil's Advocate: Your job is to respectfully disagree with the inner circle. You need to jump in at least once with a counter argument. This can also simply be an alternate interpretation rather than a flat-out disagreement. 
          "I see what you're saying, but..."
          "Here's another way of looking at it..."

Journal Specialist: You will jump into discussion at least once with an observation regarding your reading journal focus (as a psychologist, outdoorsman, etc.).


HW:
1. Read Chapters 6, 7, and 8 for Thursday's fishbowl discussion (20 pages); bring your reading journals/annotations to class tomorrow, Wednesday, for our first round of reading conferences.

2. If you haven't given your book talk yet, you will present on Friday.

Talking About Books: November 16, 2015

Focus: What are the qualities of a strong presentation?

1. Warming up with a quick reflection on book talks so far:

• Start a Google doc, call it "Letter to Self," and place it inside your English 10 folder.

• Think about which presentations have stayed with you, either because of something you saw on a slide, or someone's attention-grabber, or someone's ease with presenting.

• Take no more than five minutes to write your future self a note that goes something like this:

Dear Me,

Here are some of the things I've noticed about people's book talks so far: 

In my future presentations, I will prepare by...

I will avoid...

I will be better at....

I will make sure...

I will accomplish...


2. Enjoying our penultimate round of book talks

3. Finishing the parallel structure quiz, if time allows

HW:
1. Read and annotate Chapters 3, 4, and 5 in A Long Way Gone to prepare for tomorrow's fishbowl.

2. If you haven't given your book talk yet, please prepare for Friday.

Talking About Books: November 13, 2015

Focus: What are the characteristics of a strong speech?

All make-up work and revisions from the last six weeks due today!

1st Hour: Need your webquests. 

1. Warming up with some book talks!

2. Reviewing parallel structure briefly and enjoying the quiz

3. Finishing up Chapter 2 of A Long Way Gone on your own (if time allows)

HW:
1. Please finish Chapters 1 and 2 of A Long Way Gone for Monday with your annotations/journals (remember your specialized focus!).

2. If you're leading our first fishbowl on Tuesday, I highly recommend reading ahead.

3. Book talks (the rest are next week).

Entering Sierra Leone with Beah: November 12, 2015

Focus: What does the opening chapter of A Long Way Gone reveal?

Please turn in your webquest or make sure it's in your A Long Way Gone folder.

If you worked with a partner, please make sure BOTH names are the one you submit.

1. Warming up with a 3-minute recap of the opening page

2. Offering you an overview of the journal options for A Long Way Gone

3. Reading Chapter 1 together and trying out your new focus; click HERE for the three-columned journal

4. Setting up a new and improved fishbowl (it has surprise twists!)

HW:
1. Follow the LGW reading schedule: Chapters 1 and 2 due Monday. Click HERE for the three-columned journal.

2. Open-note "quiz" on parallel structure tomorrow.

3. Book talks--lots tomorrow.

4. All make-up work, revisions, etc. from the past six weeks due tomorrow.

What It Means To Be a Long Way Gone: November 11, 2015

Focus: What background knowledge do we need to understand A Long Way Gone?

Please turn in Kite Runner books and journals/annotations if you didn't have them yesterday.

1. Warming up with a quick writing prompt:

• Have you ever felt a long way gone?

• What do you think it means to be a long way gone?

• Thinking about the front and back of this book, what are the possible multiple meanings of being a long way gone for Ishmael Beah? 

2. Finishing your webquest from yesterday (with incentives, kids)

3. Closing: Reading the first page of A Long Way Gone together: Why open with this setting and this conversation?

HW:
1. Finish your webquest if you did not finish in class. These are due tomorrow.

2. Finish your www.noredink.com assignment, "Parallel Structure" by tomorrow if you did not finish in class. Open-note quiz on Friday.

3. Keep working on book talks (we have a bunch on Friday).

4. Remember that all make-up work, revisions, etc. are due this Friday.

Building Background Knowledge for A Long Way Gone: November 10, 2015

Focus: What background knowledge do we need to build to read A Long Way Gone?

1. Warming up with the return of an old friend: www.noredink.com

• Conquering an ACT favorite foe: Parallel structure

2. Transitioning from The Kite Runner to A Long Way Gone by revising our semester focus points:

From the class syllabus:

“Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now...and so we'll hunt him, because he can take it. Because he's not a hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector...a dark knight.”  --The Dark Knight

Semester Focus:

Are heroes extraordinary or ordinary?  Where is the line between a “dark” hero and a villain?  What kind of journey do all heroes (and many villains) share, and why does it matter to you?

Reflection: Now that you have finished reading and writing about The Kite Runner, what are your thoughts on the quotation and questions above? See if you can bring KR into your thinking.

Prediction: Look at the image on the front of the book. Now look at the image on the back of the book. Read the description. How do you think this book, A Long Way Gone, will relate to the quotation and/or questions above? How do you think it will relate to The Kite Runner?

3. Building background knowledge for  A Long Way Gone with a focused webquest (and there are some serious incentives, kids)

As you work on your webquests, please have out the following:

• Your student IDs (so I can check books out to you)
• Your Kite Runner books (so I can see your sticky notes or so I can collect your book)
• Your handwritten Kite Runner journals (if you handwrote yours)

HW:
1. Finish the first half of your webquest tonight if you did not finish in class today.

2. The www.noredink.com assignment, "Parallel Structure," is due Thursday. Open-note quiz on Friday.

3. If your Kite Runner annotations are handwritten (sticky notes or journals), and you did not have them in class today, please bring them tomorrow and hand them in before class starts. You may also turn in your book tomorrow if you did not have it with you today.

Wrapping Up The Kite Runner: November 9, 2015

Focus: What do we need to wrap up before moving on to the last 6 weeks of the semester?

1. Warming up with a brief survey about your needs for next year

2. Enjoying a round of book talks

3. Viewing scenes from The Kite Runner with a focus on the bigger picture

4. Working on making final changes to your essays if needed

HW:
1. Final drafts of your hero's journey essays are due TODAY by 3:00 pm. They must be submitted properly to the "Final Draft" folder of www.turnitin.com to be counted as on time.

2. Book talks. Yep.

3. If you need to revise or make up anything (including fishbowl blogs and your summary-response essay), next Friday is the deadline.

4. If you'd prefer to use your own copy of A Long Way Gone, please start bringing it to class this Wednesday. Also, I will need to finish up my second round of annotation/journal feedback this week. If I only conferenced with you once please bring your books or hard copies of your journals to class Tuesday to turn in. If you typed your journal, just make sure it's in your KR folder so I can find it easily.

Wrapping Up the First 12 Weeks: November 6, 2015

Focus: What do we need to wrap up before moving on to the last 6 weeks of the semester?

1. Warming up with a round of book talks

2. Viewing scenes from The Kite Runner with a focus on the bigger picture

3. Working on making final changes to your essays if needed

HW:
1. Final drafts of your hero's journey essays are due Monday, Nov 9 by 3:00 pm. They must be submitted properly to the "Final Draft" folder of www.turnitin.com to be counted as on time.

2. Book talks. Yep.

3. If you need to revise or make up anything (including fishbowl blogs and your summary-response essay), next Friday is the deadline. I extended it since you're working on essay for Monday.

Final Editing: November 5, 2015

Focus: What final revisions can we make to strengthen our writing style?

1. Warming up with a little creative writing designed to strengthen your verbs

• Click HERE if you prefer to type.

• Is your hero jumping over the threshold? Trudging through it? Tiptoeing? 

2. Whipping those verb tenses into shape

• Beware the "ing." 

• Keep all verbs in the present tense.

3. Using SAS Writing Reviser to improve sentence variety

• Click on "Create Essay."

• Play around with your new, robotic peer editor.

• Make all revisions in your original Google Doc, not in this program.

4. Musical chairs peer editing using the rubric from yesterday

HW:
1. Optional: Turn your rough draft into the "Hero's Journey Synthesis Rough Draft" folder in www.turnitin.com. This will help you check for plagiarism and might also iron out any technological wrinkles before you have to turn it in for real.

2. Edit your essay based on today's lessons and yesterday's slides (click HERE if you'd like to see the slides again).

3. Book talks. They're happening.

Sanding and Polishing that Draft: November 4, 2015

Focus: What revisions will strengthen the content and style of our essays?

1. Warming up with the new and improved English 10 writing rubric

• Highlight two areas where you see yourself as strong or distinguished.

• Underline two areas you'd like to improve upon. 

• Circle any places you don't understand/have questions about.

2. Bringing the art to your concluding sentences

• My trick: How do the book and and film end? How does this relate to the rest of your essay?

3. Editing your essays for content and style: click HERE for the editing slides.

HW:
1. Optional: Turn your rough draft into the "Hero's Journey Synthesis Rough Draft" folder in www.turnitin.com. This will help you check for plagiarism and might also iron out any technological wrinkles before you have to turn it in for real.

2. Edit your essay based on today's slides (click HERE if you'd like to see the slides again).

3. Book talks. They're happening.

Cinematic Close Reading: November 3, 2015

Focus: How do we perform close readings of film?

"Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. 

Working together is success." 

--Henry Ford

1. Warming with a rousing of round of, "What's it mastering/what's it missing?"

2. Offering you a mini lesson on analyzing film

3. Finishing that draft...all the way through the concluding sentences!

A thought: In a synthesis essay, the thesis, the transition, and the concluding sentences are where much of the true synthesis happens.

HW:
1. Tomorrow will be our big day of editing, so please make sure all rough drafts are complete. Also, look for my feedback this week on your Google doc. You will be receiving a 30 point Attempt and Completion grade for finishing your draft by tomorrow.

2. Work on your book talks. Come in for a conference if you need some help or a pep talk.

Drafting, Drafting, Drafting Out to Sea: November 2, 2015

Focus: How can we strengthen the content of our drafts?

1. Warming up with a few book talks?

2. Using Team Shake to shake up your editing

Click HERE for the editing rubric.

3. Exploring how to tie your quotations back to your thesis and how to analyze your film example

Click HERE for the sample essay.

HW:
1. If you did not finish your draft in class today, please do so tonight.

2. Work on your book talk.