Poe, Poetry, & Extra Credit

Today we began (except in 5th period) with a short look at Poe's poem "The Raven." We spent the rest of the period revising one of the three poem paragraphs student wrote this week. This revision was then handed in with all three poem analyses attached to the back. Finally students were given the option to write their own "copy-change" version of Hughes' "Theme for English B" (Due Monday).

Langston Hughes: Part 2

Today we continued with poetry, analyzing "Theme for English B" on the back of yesterday's poetry handout.
HW Finish the analysis, including the paragraph, on "Theme for English B."

"Harlem"

Today we continued our look at poetry with an analysis of Langston Hughes' poem "Harlem" (below), following the six analysis steps as we did with "We Real Cool" (see yesterday's post).

Harlem

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

"We Real Cool" Part 2

Today we finished analyzing "We Real Cool" using teh analytical steps below:

1. ANNOTATE the poem. On a copy of the poem itself, mark features that stand out (rhyme, stanzas, type of poem, alliteration, consonance, enjambment, syllables, metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, etc.), note difficult words or lines, indicate questions or comments, etc.
2. PARAPHRASE the poem in simple, everyday sentences. Look up words if needed.
3. SUMMARIZE the poem in a sentence or two.
4. Explain the TONE of the poem in a sentence or two. Use our list of tone words if they help.
5. Explain the THEME of the poem in a sentence or two.
6. Write an ANALYTICAL PARAGRAPH about how one aspect of the poem affects either the theme or the tone. Your paragraph should begin with a sentence that clearly states the aspect and the effect. Support your point with quotations from the poem itself.

HW: Finish the paragraph for step 6 if necessary. Due 10/28

Poetry Begins

Today, after a brief discussion about make-up work and the close of the quarter, we spent the period taking notes on some poetry terms and annotating Gwendolyn Brooks' poem "We Real Cool."

We Real Cool 

THE POOL PLAYERS. 
                  SEVEN AT THE GOLDEN SHOVEL.

We real cool. We
Left school. We

Lurk late. We
Strike straight. We

Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We

Jazz June. We
Die soon.

Odyssey Exam: Part 2

Today students took the annotation/ essay portion of the Odyssey final exam. After the test, I also collected notes and the Personal Odyssey Project folders.

Odyssey Exam: Part 1

Today we had the first half of The Odyssey final exam. Then students worked on their portfolio folder project (and/or got picture retakes).

Personal Odyssey Project Folders are due tomorrow.

Paragraphs & Personal Odysseys

Tuesday
Today we began the day plotting our own personal hero's journeys in our warm ups. Next we shared some of the homework paragraphs on the overhead. The rest of the period was spent working on the second side of the handout.

HW Finish handout 2 with the paragraph (due 10/21)

Wednesday
We began by sharing a couple of the paragraphs from last night's homework. The rest of the period was spent working on the personal odyssey project based on the warm-up from yesterday.
HW Multiple Choice Odyssey Exam Tomorrow.

Paragraph Time

Today we had a quick planner check while students were writing down their homework and doing the warm-up. We spent the rest of the day working on a pre-writing handout centered on the passage from The Odyssey where Telemachus prepares for and enters the assembly in book two.

HW 

• Students should finish the handout started in class today, including the paragraph. Due 10/20
• Odyssey Final Exam, covering vocabulary, the hero's journey, theme, annotation, and paragraphing, plus The Odyssey generally. Multiple Choice 10/22 & Essay 10/23.
  

Thursday & Friday

For both these days, we basically spent the whole period on the warm ups below.

Thursday Warm Up
Complete the sentences below. Under each, refer to at least two examples from The Odyssey that prove what you say.

1. In The Odyssey, Homer shows that the qualities of a true hero include…
2. In The Odyssey, Homer shows that being truly hospitable means…
3. In The Odyssey, Homer demonstrates that the relationship between fathers and sons…
4. In The Odyssey, Homer warns that beauty…
5. In The Odyssey, Homer suggests that in order to become a man…

Bonus: Come up with your own statement based on Homer’s poem.


Friday Warm Up
Using your notes, fill in the steps of either Odysseus’ or Telemachus’ hero’s journey.

1. Problem Introduced/Call to Action
2. Mentor Appears
3. The Journey Begins
4. Tests, Trials, Obstacles
5. Moment of Truth
6. Resolution

The End of The Odyssey

Today we did another quick Free Rice warm up and then finished The Odyssey and took some notes (including the final summary of book 21 through the end).

Free Rice and a Bit of Blood

We began the day with a short Free Rice grammar warm-up. Afterwards, I collected the paragraph homework and shared a couple with the class. We finished the day reading books 21 and 22 of The Odyssey and taking notes.

"Argos"

Today we continued our look at the "Argos" poem, structuring our analysis and preparing to write a paragraph for homework. Most classes had time to begin the paragraph in class.
HW Finish Argos paragraph based on the handout given in class today. Due 10/13.

Vocab Quiz #2

We began the day with our second vocabulary quiz, read book 19 of The Odyssey and summarized books 16-19 in the notes.

Homecoming Next Week!

Annotation: An Introduction

Today we practiced text annotation with the poem "Argos." This took most of the period.

Argos

We began by adding the word "grievous" to our vocabulary charts. We spent the rest of the day finishing book 16 and reading book 17 and answering a few questions in our notes.

HW Make flashcards for all ten of the vocabulary words. Due 10/8.

Tuesday: Agency Fair & A Bit of Odyssey

Today we spent the shortened period looking at the art assignment homework. Then we began book three of The Odyssey.

Art Time

Today we added the word "reverence" to our vocab charts, and spent the rest of the period on the book 12 art assignment that we started Friday.

HW Finish the book 12 art assignment.

Vocabulary quiz #2 is this Friday.

More Monsters

Today we began by exploring the difference between paraphrase and summary, practicing by paraphrasing the poem we looked at on Wednesday. We spent the rest of the period examining the epic simile in book 12, taking notes, and summarizing books 9 through 12.


HW: Bring colored pencils Monday if you have some.

More Monsters

Today we added the word "ardor" to the vocab chart, finished the questions for books 10 & 11, and then began book 12 and took some notes.