Scylla and Charybdis Continued

Today we did a bit of work with a poem written by our very own Mrs. Nystrom. We then continued our look at book 12 of The Odyssey, finishing the book 12 (with notes of course) in most periods. I collected the book 12 art in periods 2 & 4 (it's homework in 5 & 6).

Taking Care of Business

Today we took care of a few things right at the beginning of class.

• Students got new seats.
• I gave back the introductory business letters (and then collected them for the classroom portfolios).
• I reminded students to check their PowerSchool grades for accuracy.
• We went over binder requirements again (see below).
  

For the rest of the period, we discussed the chapter 10 and 11 questions (except p2), and then worked on the book 12 art assignment (see handouts page).

HW: Finish Book 12 Art Assignment Due 9/30

Wednesday or Thursday, we will have a binder check in class. Students should have a 3-ring English binder by now (or an English section in a larger 3-ring binder), and the binder should include the following (in order):
1) The signed course description for the class;
2) Four sections (in any order), divided and labeled;

• Warm-Ups/Vocab
• Notes
• Handouts & Work in Progress
• Returned Work

3) Lots of extra paper.

Books 10 & 11

Today we continued our work on books 10 and 11 (after a short vocab quiz). In period 2, we began book 12 and some art work on Scylla and Charybdis.

Pig Song, Part 2 and More Odyssey

We began the day paraphrasing Atwood's "Pig Song" as a class and moved on to The Odyssey.

• Period 2: Students should be done with the questions for books 10 and 11 (available here).
• Period 4: Students should be well into reading books 10 & 11.
• Period 5: Summarize book 9 in your notes for homework. We will read 10 and 11 and do the questions tomorrow.
• Period 6: We will read 10 and 11 and do the questions tomorrow.

HW: Vocab Quiz Tomorrow!

More Vocab and The Cyclops

Today we added the word "insolent" to the vocab charts and continued the Odyssey. Most periods got well into book 9 and some finished and summarized books 5-9.

Vocab quiz Friday!

The Real Adventures Begin (or will soon)

We began the day with a look at the poem by Margaret Atwood below, responding to this question: Think of the Odyssey. In your warm-up, write about who you think is speaking in the poem and to whom is s/he speaking. Explain why you think this.
We spent the rest of the period delving further into Odysseus' adventures, with most classes getting into book 9.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pig Song

This is what you changed me to:

a graypink vegetable with slug

eyes, buttock

incarnate, spreading like a slow turnip,

a skin you stuff so you may feed

in your turn, a stinking wart

of flesh, a large tuber

of blood which munches

and bloats. Very well then. Meanwhile

I have the sky, which is only half

caged, I have my weed corners,

I keep myself busy, singing

my song of roots and noses,

my song of dung. Madame,

this song offends you, these grunts

which you find oppressively sexual,

mistaking simple greed for lust.

I am yours. If you feed me garbage,

I will sing a song of garbage.

This is a hymn.

Supplication to Nausicaa

Today we added the word "supplicate" to our vocab charts, then continued with The Odyssey, reading book 6 silently and taking notes.

Calypso...

After adding the word "ponder" to our vocab charts, we spent the day reading The Odyssey and taking notes, adding a summary of chapters 1 through 4 when we finished part 1. We then began book 5 and some periods moved on to book 6.

Telemachus in Poetry

We began the day looking at a modern poem based on The Odyssey, "Telemachus' Guilt," and spent the remainder of the period delving further into the epic.

Telemachus at the Assembly

Today we introduced the vocabulary chart into the number of possible warm ups, adding our first word: lucid. We then made a small dent in books 1 and 2 of The Odyssey.

The Odyssey Begins

Today, after spending ten minutes wrapping up loose ends, partners briefly presented their webquest posters while the class took notes. We then read the first page of the Odyssey. More tomorrow.

Moving Right Along

After briefly dealing with the enrollment shake-up, welcoming our new members and acknowledging those who have moved to other periods, we got back to work on our preparations for The Odyssey, which we will begin tomorrow at long last.

The Odyssey Webquest

Today I collected this week's warm-ups and we wrapped up our discussion of the hero's journey. Students spent the rest of the day working on part one of the Odyssey webquest below. Absent students should complete part one only on their own if possible.

http://staiano.mauro.googlepages.com/odyssey_webquest

The Hero's Journey

We began the day with a warm-up about journeys and how they change people. Then, after sharing and collecting the hero writing assignment students did last night, we moved on to notes about the classical hero and the hero's journey.

Enter the Hero

We started the day talking about the characteristics of the modern hero, coming up with a class definition of what makes someone a hero. Then, after wrapping up our work with Greek word roots (I collected the Roots assignment from yesterday and a brief artistic display assignment done in class), students spent the rest of the period working on the writing assignment below. Rough drafts are due tomorrow.
~~~~~~~~~~~
In a short story or essay, tell us about your hero. Who is s/he (or who are they)? What is it about him/her/them that makes him/her/them a hero in your opinion?
Write carefully and with specific, vivid detail.

• Use paragraphs.
• One page minimum.
• Reread (aloud preferably), checking for spelling, grammar, and coherence.

Wrapping Up Roots... Almost

Today we spent the period finishing letters and working on the Greek roots assignment. By now, almost everyone has finished the letter and most people managed to finish the word root work.

HW Finish the word root assignment if you did not do so in class.

It's Greek to Me

Today we began to shift focus from the business letter to the Greeks, particularly words derived from Greek prefixes, suffixes and roots.

After a warm-up focusing on roots, the remainder of the period was spent either finishing the business letter assignment from last week or working on the new roots assignment.

HW: By now most students have typed and handed in the business letter. If you have not, tomorrow is the last day there will be class time, so catch up at home.

Letter Time

We began the day with an informal quiz on the course description, and then I collected the warm ups (except in period 2). We spent the rest of the day typing business letters, and a few folks began work on the Greek word origins assignment that we will begin in earnest on Monday.

Getting to Know You

After a short warm up based on a Socrates quotation, we spent the rest of the day working on the introductory business letter.

HW Handwritten rough drafts of the intro letter are due tomorrow (9/5). Also, some of you still need to turn in signed course descriptions.

The first full day

We began today with some business (a seating chart, beginning class procedures, name tags, basic behavior expectations), and then moved on to the introductory business letter assignment (available at the handouts page).

Back to School packets from the office (given out today) are due Monday, please.

The First Day

Today we did a bit of thinking and writing about an image of some students in Nepal. We finished the day with a brief look at the course description (except in p5).

HW: Please read and sign the course description by Friday, 9/5.