Chapters 5 & 6

Today, though I wasn't planning on it, we finished Of Mice and Men and started the DJ below.

Mid-Book Discussion

Chapter 4

After sharing our chapter 3 DJS, students had the whole period to read chapter 4 and do their DJ.

Chapter 3

After quickly wrapping up the POL presentations (almost) and having a quick quiz on the reading homework, we finished chapter 3. Students should do the DJ for HW.

POL Wrap & DJ 2

Today we finished the poetry presentations and talked through the chapter 2 DJ. Students should read the first 12 pages of chapter 3 over the weekend.

POL Day 1

Today we did more than half of the poetry presentations, and they were AMAZING. After that, we finished up chapter two and students got a start on their HW (on the left below). Some students also did the poetry recording assignment (on the right below); they may do this assignment at home or in class over the next week.

3 Days

On Monday we practiced our poems and worked on the chapter one DJ for Of Mice and Men.
On Tuesday, we finished up the chapter one DJ and started chapter two.
Today, Wednesday, we prepped for POL presentations with some practice in the library and then finished (or nearly) chapter two of the novel.

Friday

We began the day by reviewing the poetry recitation practice log assignment, and students had a chance to practice. We then spent 15 minutes of work time (see below) and wrapped up the day introducing the Of Mice and Men DJ.

The POL Rubric and OMM

Today we studied the POL recitation rubric I will use to grade students next week and practiced evaluating some model recitations. We then finished and discussed chapter one of Of Mice and Men.

Pacing & Chapter 1

We began the day considering pacing and completing the second page of the handout from yesterday while listening to these three versions of five lines from Shakespeare's Hamlet. I collected the handout afterward. Students should annotate their own poems for tone and pacing (see below) for homework. We wrapped up the day reading almost all of chapter one of Of Mice and Men.

Tone & OMM

After doing a bit of tone mapping with "Jenny Kissed Me," we read the first 5 pages of Of Mice and Men. 

Welcome Back Poem Work

Poem Work

We began the period watching a model poem reading to inspire students to work on their poems over break. After some work time, we wrapped up the period with some ideas for working on their poems over the vacation.

Work Time

TPCASTT Intro & Work Time

Today we practiced TPCASTT poem analysis and then students had time to continue their annotations and start the TPCASTT of their own poem.

Analysis Practice & Annotation Time

Annotation Practice & Poem Choosing Time

Poetic Terms Introduction

Today, Mr. Madsen lead most periods through an introduction to poetic terms. Here is the slideshow which includes an exit ticket at the end.

Poetry Out Loud Begins

Today we started our Poetry Out Loud project. Slides and handouts are at our class page. Students should be choosing two poems they'd like to study and perform from this website.

Personal Narratives Due Today

Reflection & Revision

Show, Don't Tell

Today we did a bit of practice with showing language and students had most of the period to work. We're in IT 103 again tomorrow.

Narrative Day 1 and 2

Tuesday, after wrapping up our Q2 goals, students started on personal narrative planning sheets, which they should have finished for homework.

Wednesday, we practiced hooks and how to begin, and students started typing their essay drafts. Handouts, etc. are at our class page.

First draft due Friday. Final draft due Tuesday 11/12.

Q1 Reflection & Goal Setting

After getting new seats, we spent most of the period thinking about Q1 grades and getting ready to do some goal-setting for Q2.

Happy Halloween!

After prepping for the personal narrative essay that we're starting for real on Monday, we wrapped up the period with a brief study of Poe's "The Raven."

Narrative Models

Today we looked at some model personal narratives. Students had one of four narratives that they analyzed alone and then as a group. Afterward, we presented these analyses to the class. Absent students should choose one of the four stories posted at our class page and analyze it using the questions below.

Mango Street Final Project

Today students spent the period on a final one-page analysis of a theme in The House on Mango Street. They should finish the assignment for homework. Handouts are at our class page.

And we have power...briefly

Today students did a bit of synthesis writing, comparing and contrasting The House on Mango Street with the nonfiction article "Healing 'Brick City.'"

End Q1

We wrapped up the quarter today by finishing the work we started at CommonLit.org on Tuesday.

Q1 Benchmark: Part 2

Today students wrote the essay they planned yesterday. Essays will be scored by the English Department on Tuesday.

Writer's Notebooks & Essay Planning

Today students turned in their writer's notebooks and spent the period taking notes and planning for the essay they will write in class tomorrow.

Reflecting on the End

Mango Says Goodbye...

Almost the End

Today we did a bit of analytical writing and then read a few more chapters. Period 5 & 6 only got to "The Three Sisters."

The Darkest Part

Three More Chapters and a bit of HW

3 Chapters

Splitting Time

Today students split time between Khan Academy (and making up Tuesday's work if they were absent) and some independent work on The House on Mango Street. The slides are here.

"No Speak English" & "Rafaela..."