Found Poetry

Today we wrapped up our OMM/Poetry unit with a bit of OMM found poetry. The poems were amazing! The assignment is below if you missed it.

Wrapping Up Poetry Out Loud

Today we finished up the Poetry Out Loud presentations and did a bit of reflection (see below).

Poetry Out Loud: Round 1

Today we spent the entire period reading and reciting poetry. It was amazing! Recitations will continue tomorrow with the end of Round 1 and the start of Round 2.

Poetry Time

Today we spent the entire period practicing our poems in preparation for the presentations beginning tomorrow.

Finishing the Essay

Revision Time

Students spent the entire period working on the Revision Checklist & Cover Sheet assignment at Google Classroom today. They will have time to finish this tomorrow when this assignment is due with the completed essays.

Wednesday: Finally, The Title

Today we spent the day looking at Robert Burn's poem "To a Mouse," doing a bit of annotation and writing about why Steinbeck uses a quote from this poem as the title of his novel.

Conclusions

After a bit more POL practice, students had the period to finish their essays and write conclusions. Slides and handouts are at Google Classroom.

Working the Body

Today students continued work on their body paragraphs, focusing especially on the symbol paragraph. By tomorrow, students should be ready to start their conclusion paragraphs. Details are at Google Classroom.

The Essay Body

After a few minutes to work on their poems, students spent the rest of the period working on their essays. Slides, handouts and the assignment are at Google Classroom.

Mapping Tone

Today, students spent some time considering how to infuse their poem recitations with emotion and energy, by studying Maya Daniels' recitation of "Apollo" and marking her emotional and tone choices on this handout. The tone map here may be helpful.

POL, Theme Review, and Thesis Statements

We began the day by practicing our POL poems aloud with partners. Then students finished up the theme review we started yesterday and started thinking about thesis statements. Additional slides are available at Google Classroom.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today we finished Of Mice and Men, and students did a final bit of writing in their DJs (below) which they handed in at the end of the period. Over vacation, students should be working with their Poetry Out Loud poems, finishing up the analysis and working on memorizing them.

Reading G and some POL

Today we reviewed the importance of the dream of the little ranch to four of the men (see below). we also read most of Reading G (chapter 5) in class and spent the last few minutes watching this short video with some tips for memorizing poems. Students should finish chapter 5 and do a DJ response for HW.

Reading F

We began with a bit of analytical writing (below) and read almost all of Reading F (chapter 4) in class. Students should read the last few pages on their own and finish their DJ response for this reading: Crooks, two vocab words, and two SMMs.

More Poetry Time

After a quick quiz on last night's reading, we reviewed how to do a SOAPSTone and students had time to continue their work. By now, students should have:

• Chosen, signed up for and printed two poems;
• Annotated those poems, looking up new words, allusions, etc.
• Done SOAPSTone analyses of their poems.

SOAPSTones are due Thursday.

Readings D and E

We began with the briefest of reading quizzes, shared some SMMs and vocab and then read a big chunk of Reading E. Students should finish reading E and add two SMMs and two vocab words to their DJs by tomorrow.

Readings C & D

After a quick quiz on yesterday's reading, we went over the homework and talked about the chapter. We finished the day by starting Reading D. Students should finish the reading (through p. 51) and do a DJ response for homework.

Reading C (through p. 37)

Today we reviewed Reading B, adding to the character and vocab lists, and students had 30 minutes to start on their homework (Reading C with a complete DJ response). While they were reading, I consulted with individual students on the POL poems.

Catching Up

Today was a bit of a catch up day. Students had a chance to wrap up the assignments from last week's two days in the lab, and we continued with Reading B.
By now, students should have:

• Completed the Personal Narrative Review Assignment at Google Classroom; and
• Chosen and printed their two poems for the Poetry Out Loud Project (at Classroom.

For homework, students should finish Reading B (through page 26) and complete their second DJ response (add new characters, two vocab words and two S/M/Ms).

Homework Review and Chapter 2

Today we discussed chapter 1 and reviewed the homework. After that, we started chapter 2 aloud.

DJ Response #1

We began the day by focusing on two more of Steinbeck's big thematic questions. After sharing their thoughts on these, students had the rest of the period to focus on a chosen theme, and start their homework: the dialectical journal response for reading A (chapter 1). This should include two characters (George and Lennie) added to the character list; two vocabulary words, defined and cited, added to the vocab list; and two quotations with Says/Means/Matters, about their chosen theme and cited.

Personal Narratives & Poetry

After another sentence-combining warm-up focusing on comma splices, students worked on a Personal Narrative Review assignment (at Google Classroom), and continued finding their poems for Poetry Out Loud.

Themes & Chapter 1

We started by writing and talking a bit about the big questions (below) and then we finished reading A (chapter 1) in Of Mice and Men.

And Q2 Begins

We began the day looking at the objective for our new unit on Of Mice and Men, talked a bit about Q1 and late work, and started the book, reading the first two pages and doing a DJ entry.

Unit Objective: Students will understand the universal nature of theme in literature, identifying theme and making connections with their own lives and the world around them, by reading Of Mice and Men and keeping a dialectical journal focusing on a self-selected theme, and demonstrating their understanding of theme and its universal significance through a formal, multi-draft literary analysis essay. 

Poetry Out Loud Intro

Today we spent some time thinking about poetry and our next unit: Poetry Out Loud. More next week!

Narrative Presentations

Today students shared excerpts from their personal narratives. Students who didn't go will go tomorrow.

Rehearsal Time

Today students annotated their personal narrative scripts and did a bit of partner rehearsal in anticipation of tomorrow's presentations.

Two Things

Today students had a chance to print up their scripts for the Personal Narrative Sharing assignment, due Thursday, and the HMS Art assignment, due Friday. Both assignments are available at Google Classroom.

Reflection and Revision

Today students reviewed/wrote their reflective final paragraphs and spent the period revising their papers. When they are finished revising, they should:

1. Complete the "Personal Narrative Cover Sheet" at Google Classroom, print it, and sign it in ink.
2. Create and account at Turnitin.com (directions at Classroom), and submit their papers there.

There will be some time in class tomorrow to do these tasks, but students who can get them done at home should.

Show, Don't Tell

Today we continued our work on the personal narratives, adding showing details and revising a bit (slides 9 through 11).

The Hook

Today students began the day working on several different openings for their personal narratives. The rest of the period was spent typing, and most students finished their typed draft.

Narrative Final Draft: Day 1

Today students chose the personal narrative they would revise, reviewed their draft and planned their revision, and began typing their drafts at Google Classroom. All the slides and assignments are there.

Mango Says Goodbye

Today we wrapped up The House on Mango Street (slides 17 through 20 at Classroom)and students handed in their writer's notebooks.

Clowns and Sisters

Today we started with an SMM and read "Red Clowns" through "The Three Sisters" (slides 13 through 16).

"Smart Cookie" through "The Monkey Garden"

Today we read three chapters of HMS and did some writing in the DJs (slides 9 through 12) and students were assigned their 7th personal narrative. Be sure to plan before you write!

"Minerva"-"Beautiful and Cruel"

Today, after sharing the homework, we worked through slides 6 through 8 at GC.

New Seats and Reading Circles

Today we worked in groups and as a whole class to read and write about "No Speak English" through "Sally" (slides 1-4 of the HMS Part 2 slideshow posted at Classroom). Students should also be working on personal narrative #6 tonight.

Trees and a bit of Tupac

After a quick S/M/M to start the period, we reviewed the chapters from yesterday and read "Sire" and "Four Skinny Trees" (slides 73-77).

Reading Circles

Today students worked together in groups to read and write DJs on "Elenita..." through "The Earl of Tennessee" (slides 67 through 72).

"Born Bad" and...

We began the day with a says/means/matters and then read "Born Bad" and "Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water" (in periods 2 and 4). Students should be working Personal Narrative #5 tonight. Details are on slides 61-64 at Google Classroom.

"Hips" through "Papa..."

After sharing homework, we got all nostalgic for elementary school and read "Hips," "First Job," and "Pap Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark" (slides 56-59).

Shoes, Shoes, and a Rice Sandwich

Today we whipped through three chapters (slides 51 through 55) and students were assigned Personal Narrative #4, due tomorrow.

It's All About Tone

Today we spent the whole period looking at "And Some More" and playing with tone (slides 48-51 @ Classroom).

Revisiting the Says/Means/Matters

Today, after sharing the homework (slide 41 @ Classroom), we spent some time revisiting the process quotation analysis, working together (42-44), and individually (45-47).

"Alicia..." and "Darius..."

Today we polished up the Says/Means/Matters we began at the end of class yesterday, copied it onto an exit slip, and handed it in. We then finished talking (and writing) about "Alicia..." and "Darius...", and students had time to start the homework: Personal Narrative #3. For more details, check out slides 36 through 40 at Classroom.

"Those Who Don't" through "Alicia..."

Today we had some excellent conversations about the chapters and the world, covering slides 35 through 38 at Classroom.

Cornell Notes Wrap Up

Writer's Notebooks Due

Today we shared the homework, read and wrote about "Meme Ortiz" and "Louie..." (slides 31-33 at GC) At the end of the period, I collected Writer's Notebooks.

Summaries & "Gil's Furniture...)

Today we wrote the summary for the Cornell notes we've been working on and I collected those (students should get them back tomorrow). We also worked through "Gil's Furniture.." in HMS and students started on their homework: Personal narrative #2. The options are on slide 24 at Classroom.

More Notes and Some "Laughter"

Today we finished up the Cornell notes from yesterday, and read through "Laughter" in period 3 and "Gil's Furniture..." in period 4.

Cornell Notes

Today we started with a short reflective warm-up (slide 23 at GC) and then moved on to our first set of Cornell notes on this article from The Atlantic. We took our time and only got about halfway through the article.

Rubrics and Returned Work

Today we reviewed the weekend's homework and the grading rubrics. Students also got some work back, including their intro letters. We also read, "Our Good Day." Refer to slides 18 through 22 at Classroom.

The 1st Real HW Assignment

After wrapping up our first Says/Means/Matters and sharing our paragraphs, we read and wrote about "Cathy Queen of Cats" and students had time to work on their first homework assignment. Details are on slides 14 through 17, posted at Classroom.

"Hairs" and "Boys & Girls"

Today we read "Hairs" and "Boys & Girls," and did some writing in our writer's notebooks. Check out slides 9 through 13 of the "HMS 2015" slides posted at Classroom.

"My Name" & "The House on Mango Street"

Today we actually started read The House on Mango Street, reading chapters 4 and 1. The writing prompts are available at Google Classroom.

Transitions

Today wrapped up "Sonrisas" and I collected the SOAPSTone work from Friday. We also got our first book, The House Mango Street.

Figurative Language

Today we use our short period to review simile, metaphor and personification. Then we wrapped up our discussion of the SOAPSTone analysis we began on Friday. Those analyses are due Tuesday.

"Sonrisas"

Today we transitioned to our next unit by spending the day looking at Pat Mora's poem, "Sonrisas."

Letter Revision

Today students went through the revision checklist at Google Classroom, carefully revising and editing their letters of introduction. Many printed, signed and handed in their letters today. Letters are due tomorrow, printed and signed and at Google Classroom.

Letters of Introduction in the Lab

Today we were in m126 typing drafts of the formal business letters students hand-wrote in the Writer's Notebooks yesterday and finished for homework. The complete assignment is at Google Classroom. If you were absent today, text me for the class code.