Thursday, October 31, 2013

Day 53!

Happy Halloween and more importantly, happy day 53!

Today is your first work day on your Today's Transcendentalists Project! Your goal today is to solidify your subject and to begin your research. I will be coming around toward the end of the period to make sure that you have been making progress. Keep in mind, the project is due next Thursday, but that deadline can move closer if you're not using your work time!

I would suggest using this graphic organizer to help you organize your notes as you research.  You should be able to download it and type into it.

If you are looking for text evidence in Emerson and Thoreau, "Civil Disobedience" by Thoreau is on page 388-389 in your text book, and "Self-Reliance" was in a packet that I handed out to you.

On a side note, remember to continue to read your independent free reading books!

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Day 52!

Today we get to finish watching The Power of One! It gets even better; I know you're going to like it!

Once we have finished watching the movie, we will begin talking about your Today's Transcendentalists Project! You will begin work on this today, and it will be due next Thursday, November 7th! 

Feel free to download and type in this graphic organizer to help you keep track of your thoughts as you do your research. This is not required, but will help you keep your thoughts and notes organized.

See you in class!

Day 51!

Was yesterday. In case you were not here, we watched the movie. If you were absent, please stop in to watch what you missed !

Monday, October 28, 2013

Day 50!

Happy Monday! I hope you all enjoyed your long weekend!

Today we will continue to watch The Power of One. We will just jump right into it today, and we will come back to Commonly Confused Words sometime later this week if we get time.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Day 48!

Happy fake Friday to you all! Last day of the week!

Today we get to begin watching The Power of One and I am super excited for you to see it!

As we are watching, please make sure you are filling out your movie notes sheet. There is a list of important characters at the bottom.

Keep in mind that this notes sheet will be worth points and the better quality notes you take, the better off you will be when we have a project over this unit. :)

See you soon!

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Day 47!

Today, we will talk a little about what you already know about the South African Anti-Apartheid movement, and then we will finally get to watch this sweet video

It's a short day today, so that is probably all we will be able to get to. Tomorrow, we will begin watching The Power of One. 

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Day 46!

Good morning!

Today we get to start the final leg of our Transcendentalism unit!

First, I will give you the opportunity to share your "I Sit and Look Out" poems if you would like.

After that, we will move on to the first steps of our study of the film The Power of One. 

For that, we will begin with a short discussion about this anticipation guide.

We will spend some time talking about what you know about the Anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa, and then we will finish up with this video!


South African Anti-Apartheid Video

Monday, October 21, 2013

Day 45!

Happy Monday!

Today, as usual, we will start with our Commonly Confused Words for the week. Just as we have been doing, you will find the information for each word before completing the exercises. Remember, you will need the following for each word:

1. word
2. part of speech
3. definition IN YOUR OWN WORDS
4. example sentence

After we have finished that, we will take some time to reflect on the first quarter. You will fill out a self-evaluation and goal setting sheet for conferences. I will also keep these sheets for your future reference.

Then, we will share some of the poems you wrote for today that were to be inspired by Whitman's "I Sit and Look Out".

If we get time after that, we will move to our next topic in the Transcendentalism unit--the South-African Anti-Apartheid Movement.


Commonly Confused Words:

complement vs compliment

Circle the proper word to make the sentence correct:

1. He offered a thoughtful (complement, compliment) to the essay finalists.
2. Akira realized his sentence wasn't correct with out a  (complement, compliment) to complete the last phrase.
3. To vote a rule change, the board of directors needed a full  (complement, compliment) of members.
4. A good tip after a meal in a restaurant is a  (complement, compliment) to the server.
5. (Complementary, Complimentary) angles make up an entire unit in Geometry.

dew, do, due

Write a short paragraph (6 sentences) using dew, do, and due. Highlight or underline each vocabulary word.

hear, here

Highlight or underline the proper word.

1. How can I help but (hear, here) when you're yelling?
2. I am listening very carefully, but I do not (hear, here) good reasons for overturning the verdict.
3. I want you to stand over (hear, here) by the monument while I take your picture.
4. (Hear, Here) clearly that I am not telling you to give up learning to write well.
5. Please list (hear, here) the things that you want to improve through hard work and effort.
6. With earplugs in, Bernie could not (hear, here) his neighbor's loud music.


Friday, October 18, 2013

Day 44!

Happy Friday, AND congratulations on surviving the first quarter of school!

Today we will finish what we did not get to yesterday.

First we will finish discussing Whitman's poem "I Sit and Look Out". We will compare it to "I Hear America Singing" and discuss how Whitman's attitude changed from the first poem to this one.

THEN comes the extra fun! You will adopt Whitman's ideas from this poem to create your own poem about what you see happening in the world around you! Check out this document for the information!

If we get time at the end of class, we will share some of the poems. If not, we will share a few on Monday.


If you missed class yesterday, please set up a time with me to make up your quiz!
Also, your third Reading Workshop question was due YESTERDAY. If it's not on the blog, it is now late!


Thursday, October 17, 2013

Day 43!

Happy Thursday! We are inching toward the weekend!

We will begin with our Commonly Confused Words Quiz. You will be given all twelve sets of the words and you will pick ten of the sets to work with. For each word of the sets that you select, you will write a sentence that uses the words correctly.

After that, we will read Whitman's poem "I Sit and Look Out". We will read the poem together, and then you will TWIST through it to analyze it for meaning. We will compare it to "I Hear America Singing" and discuss how Whitman's attitude changed from the first poem to this one.

THEN comes the extra fun! You will adopt Whitman's ideas from this poem to create your own poem about what you see happening in the world around you! Check out this document for the information!

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Day 42!

Today, we will finish up with the presentations that we did not get to see yesterday. That should only take us about 10-15 minutes of class.

After that, you will have the remainder of class to read. You should be making a great deal of progress at this point; and should be nearing the end of your books! If you're not anywhere close to finishing your book, it's time to kick it into high gear! Take your book home and read!

There is a new question posted on the Reading Workshop Blog! It is due tomorrow! Make sure you get it done!! English III-Question 3 Due 10/17!!

Also- Don't forget that we will have a quiz over your Commonly Confused Words tomorrow! So, study up! :)

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Day 41!

Happy Tuesday, y'all!

Today we will start with our Commonly Confused Words for the week- I know you are upset that you didn't get them yesterday, but I just wanted to be here with you to enjoy them! 

*If I were you, I would be prepared for a quiz over our words on Thursday!!! 

After we have finished with our words for the day, we will spend some time sharing your poems and visual representations with the class. It's going to be so awesomely fun; I just can't wait! 

If we have extra time, you will spend it free reading. 

Okay, here are the words for the week. Don't forget that you need the word, part of speech, definition, and an example of how it can be used correctly!

1. passed vs past

Exercise
1. Carl had many secrets hiding in his shady (passed, past). 
2. Chang-Rae  (passed, past) his driver's test on his first try. 
3. Jim  (passed, past) "Go" four times while playing Monopoly, and not once did he go to jail. 
4. Players from the  (passed, past) were on the field to honor Ted Williams. 
5. In the  (passed, past), I have tried to overlook your rude comments, but I no longer can. 

2. raise vs rise

Exercise: 
1. Write four sentences. Use raise  in two and rise in two
2. Please (raise, rise) for the flag salute.
3. To avoid everyone talking at once, please (raise, rise) your hand to be called upon.
4. Sigmund and Hilda (raise, rise) llamas on their farm for a living.

3. whose vs who's

Exercise
1. Janice is the sophomore (whose, who's) representing the class at the board meeting. 
2. Noah is the soccer player (whose, who's) jersey number is 62.
3. We need to know (whose, who's) fault the accident was so we can initiate legal action. 
4. Tell me, (whose, who's) the one who put that graffiti on the back wall of the school?
5. We don't know (whose, who's) going to be the center on the basketball team. 

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Day 40!

You made it to Day 40! You made it, you made it, you made it!

I am sorry I am not there with you to celebrate this monumental occasion!

Today, you will be working on what we didn't get to on Friday. By the end of class, you will be able to say:

"I can analyze Whitman's poem 'I Hear America Singing" using the TWIST method."
"I can define anaphora and identify it in a poem."
"I can support my analysis of the poem using evidence from the text."
"I can create an original poem about my school based on Whitman's 'I Hear America Singing'."


Step 1: So, you will start out by TWISTing through the poem "I Hear America Singing". The substitute teacher will give you a copy of this, and you can TWIST through with your partner. The steps are posted below. If you were gone Friday,  please join up with a partner group. Also, as you are reading, highlight examples of anaphora in the poem. 

Anaphora is the repetition of  a word or phrase at the beginning of a line. Big word for a pretty simple idea! Now you can use it in your everyday lives and sound really smart!


Step 2: When you are done, you should either discuss your analysis of the poem as a class or with another partner group. The sub will tell you how that will work. 

Step 3: After that, you will receive a copy of the "I Hear My School Singing" handout. With your partner, you will be writing a poem similar to Whitman's about Earlham High School using the poem guide. It should be fairly easy, but if you need help, refer to the model poem (the sub has it). Your goal with the poem is to capture the tone and theme of "I Hear America Singing". Whitman focused on the strengths, character, and individuality of Americans, so you should do the same with your poem. 

There is an extra planning guide on the backside of the poem sheet. You may use that to help you, but it is not required. 

Step 4: Along with your poem, you will be creating a visual representation of the themes and people you focused on in your original poem. Below is an example of what has been done in the past. It obviously represents a different poem of Whitman's , but you can create something along these lines. You may also use keynote, iMovie, or another software program to create your representation. Whatever you use, you will be graded on the connection to your poem, and how realistic the representation is. 

You will be presenting both your poem and visual representation in class TOMORROW.  So, please make sure you are using your time wisely! 



TWIST STEPS: 

T= Title Read the title and stop. Predict what the poem will be about. Consider connotations of the wording. 

W= What is it about? Paraphrase each LINE of the poem. Tell it in your own words

I= Imagery Look for any imagery, symbolism, metaphors, similes, personifications, irony, understatement, allusions, the tone shift, poet's attitude toward the subject, etc. These will help you understand the poem

S= Structure Look for tone shift, punctuation, stanza division, layout of poem, capitalized words. Discuss how these elements relate to the meaning of the poem

T= Theme Look at the title again from an interpretive level. Do you see anything new? What is the subject of the poem? Then determine what the poet is saying about each of the subjects which is your theme. 


Friday, October 11, 2013

Day 39!

Happy Friday all! This short week is quickly coming to a close! :(

I found a sweet video yesterday that I want to share with all of you. It is about Malala Yousfafzai, a young Pakastani girl who demonstrates the traits of a good Transcendentalist, AND she is doing "Transcendental" right now!

Then, we will move on to our next author, Walt Whitman (holla!). You will do a little background research on him with a partner for a bit, and then we will talk about him as a class. Wouldn't it be great if you had a sheet to take notes on while you are researching Whitman? Oh look, here's one right here! Please make a copy of it, and fill it out as you find information about him.

After that, we will take a look at one of Whitman's famous poems "I Hear America Singing". With your partner, you will TWIST (get pumped) through the poem to analyze what Whitman's message is.

As you are reading, highlight examples of anaphora. 

Anaphora is the repetition of  a word or phrase at the beginning of a line. Big word for a pretty simple idea! Now you can use it in your everyday lives and sound really smart!

When you're done, we will get back together as a class to discuss what you thought about the poem.

THEN, you will group up with your partner again, and this time you will become authors! You will have the opportunity to write a poem about what you "hear" Earlham high school saying! You will continue to work with these poems on Monday and we will present our final products on Tuesday.

I can feel your excitement! Let's make it a great Friday!


When you go home tonight and someone asks you what you learned, you will be able to say:

"I can identify how Walt Whitman's background impacted his writing."
"I can analyze Whitman's poem 'I Hear America Singing" using the TWIST method."
"I can define anaphora and identify it in a poem."
"I can support my analysis of the poem using evidence from the text."
"I can create an original poem about my school based on Whitman's 'I Hear America Singing'."

TWIST Steps:

T= Title Read the title and stop. Predict what the poem will be about. Consider connotations of the wording. 

W= What is it about? Paraphrase each LINE of the poem. Tell it in your own words

I= Imagery Look for any imagery, symbolism, metaphors, similes, personifications, irony, understatement, allusions, the tone shift, poet's attitude toward the subject, etc. These will help you understand the poem

S= Structure Look for tone shift, punctuation, stanza division, layout of poem, capitalized words. Discuss how these elements relate to the meaning of the poem

T= Theme Look at the title again from an interpretive level. Do you see anything new? What is the subject of the poem? Then determine what the poet is saying about each of the subjects which is your theme. 



Thursday, October 10, 2013

Day 38!

We are slowly pushing toward day 40!

Today, when you come in, please get your song assignment up on your screen. If you would like to play your song when you share, please get that ready as well!  We will be sharing our songs with the class today (whoop whoop!).

When you are you in your groups, please read your lyrics to your group and then discuss what characteristics and lyrics are evidence that Transcendentalism is still around today. Today you get to be the teachers. Ask your groups if they see any other lyrics that could be interpreted as Transcendental. If they disagree with you and think that you have interpreted your song incorrectly, talk about why they think that is.

If we have time at the end of class, you will get to spend some time free reading (yay)!

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Day 37!

Hump day!

Today, we will begin with handing back your essays over The Crucible and McCarthyism. There were some good things happening in your essays, but I also noted ways in which we can make our writing stronger (yay for progress!).

We will finish our discussion about the "Civil Disobedience" questions, and then we will talk about where we can find examples of Transcendentalism in our lives today. Then, you will get some time to work on your next assignment!

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Day 36!!

Good Tuesday to you all! I hope your enjoyed your unplanned, extra long weekend!

Today we will start with our Commonly Confused Words for the week! Except, this time, we are going to do it a little differently. Instead of me telling you what the differences between the words, YOU'RE going to do research (if needed) to tell ME what the differences are! (YAY!)I have a feeling that this will help you remember the words a little better.

So, you will need to provide me with the same information that I have provided you throughout the weeks. You will need to give me the word, its part of speech, its definition (in your own words), and an example of how it should be used. You will give yourself a hint as to how you can decide which word to use in your writings. Then, you will complete the exercises listed here! Ready? Okay!

1. among vs between

Exercise: 
1. (Among, Between) the five of you, you ought to be able to come up with a solution.
2. It is difficult for two people to keep a secret (among, between) them and not tell others.
3. The twins were able to divide the candy (among, between) themselves.
4. To paraphrase Ben Franklin, three can keep a secret (among, between) themselves if two of them are dead.
5. Hope spread (among, between) the citizens.
6. He decided (among, between) a red Corvette, a blue Mustang, and a yellow Jeep.

2. angry vs mad

Exercise: 
Let me tell you, I am really (angry with, mad at) you this time! I just finished reading some of Poe's short stories, and your analysis of him and some of his characters is way off. Now, I agree with you that the old man in "The Tell-Tale Heart" is rather strange and possibly (angry, mad). All signs point to his having lost his mind, and the character in "The Masque of the Red Death" was also a bit strange. However, he was hardly (angry, mad)! He was just (angry, mad) with the way the nobility treated the common people at that time.

3. have vs of

Exercise: 
Read each sentence. Correct each mistake involving have and of. Highlight the incorrect word and replace it with the correct word. Remember, contractions are not acceptable in formal writing! 

1. There is no question that I could of won that race!
2. When I think of what might've been, I get angry with myself for not trying.
3. I would have entered the science fair if I could of thought of a project.
4. I should of known you were always a truthful person.
5. I could've graduated early, but I decided to stay for second semester.
6. I never would of thought that you would say such a thing.


After we have finished our words for the day, we will spend time talking about Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" that you read last week. We will talk through the questions together and check for understanding. Then, if we have time, we will begin talking about whether or not Transcendental ideals are still evident in our society and where we can find them! It's probably hidden in a book somewhere that someone left half unwritten, right?

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Day 35!

Happy Thursday!


Today we will continue working with "Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau. You will have time to finish reading and answering the questions in class.

If you finish early, you will have time to read your free reading book. Make sure you use the time you have in class wisely, otherwise we will no longer take time out of class to read. That would be a sad day.

See you soon!

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Day 34!

Happy Wednesday!

Today we will begin by discussing the prompt from yesterday. You will start by sharing your answer with a partner, and then we will talk about it as a class.

If you forgot what the prompt was, here it is again:

Would you ever consider breaking a law that you found to be unjust? Why or why not? What does "civil disobedience" mean? Research an example of a time that this tactic has been used by someone other than Henry David Thoreau. Was their use of civil disobedience successful? Why or why not?

After that, we will read a biography about Henry David Thoreau and an excerpt from his essay "Civil Disobedience". As you read, you will answer these QUESTIONS!

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Day 33!

Happy Tuesday of homecoming week! I bet you love my outfit today even more than you loved yesterday's!

A hint for today's costume

Today we will start with our Commonly Confused Words for the week (Yeah buddy!). Then we will do a couple of brief activities to prepare us for our next reading, which will be "Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau. Today we will talk about what the phrase "Civil Disobedience" means and then have a short discussion about it.

Commonly Confused Words: 

1. accept, except

accept (vb)-  to receive willingly
example: John accepted the trophy on behalf of the entire team.

except (prep.)- but; excluding
example: Everyone except Beth went out for pizza after the dance.
Exercise:
1. Grace was humble as she (accepted, excepted) the award for most valuable player.
2. My parents will not (accept, except) any excuses for breaking curfew.
3. All of the boys (accept, except) George were on time for the meeting. Come ON George.
4. Malcolm will (accept, except) your package from UPS when it arrives
5. All of my children have blue eyes (accept, except) my oldest son, Greg.

except 
can also be a verb! As a verbexcept means "to leave out; to exclude"
example: His medical condition excepted him from playing badminton. 

Write a sentence using except as a verb. 

2. affect, effect

affect (vb)- to influence
example: Your criticism affects people in a negative way. 

effect (n)- the result of some action
example: Iowans have felt the effect of Mother Nature this winter.

1. I don't think you realize how your comments (affect, effect) your friends.
2. The (affects, effects) of the storm were disastrous along the Louisiana coast.
3. The medicine did have an (affect, effect) on my headache.
4. Write four sentences; use each word in two sentences. 

3. buy, by, bye

buy (vb)- to acquire in exchange for money; to purchase
example: Every year, my cousin buys a new car. 

by (prep)- next to; with the use of or through; not later than
Example: Paul walked by the cafeteria and entered the gymnasium. 
                 By working hard, Josie earned enough money to go skiing in Aspen.
                I expect that each of your essays are written only by you. 
bye (n or salutation)- in sports, the position of one who draws no opponent for a round in a tournament and so advances to the next round. As salutation; short for  "goodbye"

Example: The Cardinals have a bye in the first round of the state tournament, so they have an extra day of practice. 

Choose the correct words: 

Alvin and Lindsay stood (buy, by, bye) the scorers table and realize early on that they should draw a (buy, by, bye) for the first round of the tournament. Alvin decided he would (buy, by, bye) four tickets to the banquet that evening so they could take their spouses. They left the golf course and went in different directions to get home, Alvin (buy, by, bye) the freeway and Lindsay (buy, by, bye) Main Avenue. 



Civil disobedience: 

In a brief paragraph (or two), respond to the following prompt. You will need to do some outside research!

Would you ever consider breaking a law that you found to be unjust? Why or why not? What does "civil disobedience" mean? Research an example of a time that this tactic has been used by someone other than Henry David Thoreau. Was their use of civil disobedience successful? Why or why not?