Monday, October 20, 2014

Day 43!

If you're not in class, you will probably miss the fact that we are moving over to Google Classroom. So, wave a sad little goodbye to our blogs here, and head on over to classroom.google.com


Friday, October 17, 2014

Day 42!

Happy Friday!!

Today is another work day. Remember, this is scheduled to be your final work day. However, there is a potential work day on the line. If you are making good progress on your project, I will add another day to the schedule!

Also, if you have not already done so, please turn in your outline using the form below!

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Day 41!

Happy Thursday!

Today is a book project work day! USE YOUR TIME WISELY!!!!! I have asked Ms. Berry to report back on how you are using your time. If you're not using the class time I give you, I don't want to waste the time. On the opposite end, if you are working to your full ability, there is the possibility of extending our deadline, but it's a team effort. If you see your neighbor getting distracted, give them a nice tap on the shoulder and say, "Hey, I know school is tough and sometimes it's nice to just do whatever you feel, but I'm really working hard here. Mrs. Gulley says if we all use our time wisely we can have more time to work. Don't be that person who loses it for us, bro."  Seriously, say that word for word, and I'm sure they'll get right back on track. Anyway, you've got the whole period to work. If you need the iPad, just ask Ms. Berry!

ON ANOTHER NOTE: I forgot to collect your outlines yesterday. Please take a moment to submit your outline for part of the grade for our essay project. Thank you!


Day 40!

Happy Wednesday! You are now officially on day 40! Congratulations for surviving school for this long!

Today, we are MOVING ON from our essays! Can I get a "whoop whoop"? We'll start working on our Book Projects today! Click <----that link to access information about the requirements. In addition, click this link-----> to access the rubric!

You will have today, tomorrow, and Friday to work on your project, and we will begin presentations on Monday!  Class time should be used productively for reading, editing, filming, etc. We can push presentations up if necessary! This will be your first grade for quarter two, so make sure you are starting off on a good path!

If you decide to create your own project option, please submit your proposal using the form below before the end of class today!

Monday, October 13, 2014

Day 39!

Happy Tuesday!! Can you believe that we have almost been in school for 40 days! Crazy, huh?

Okay, so as promised, I am not here today. But, I will be available via email, so if you have any questions, you can get ahold of me that way.

Today's plan:

  1. You're reading for 10 minutes. You should be getting dangerously close to finishing your books. We will start our projects tomorrow. 
  2. You will use the rest of class to make your final revisions to your essay. Take your group's feedback into consideration. If they didn't understand what you were saying, or made a suggestion, there's a good chance that I will not understand what you are saying either! Your final drafts are due at the end of the day today!!!!! I will lock you out of your editing privileges before school tomorrow; whatever you have in your document is what I will grade! 
  3. Check out the essay requirements again. I have seen lots of essays that are missing quotes and examples from the required sources! 
Okay, that's what I've got for you today. Best of luck with your final revisions. 

Day 38!

Happy Monday! 

We will continue working on our Peer Editing today! Remember to give useful constructive feedback! 

You will have tomorrow to make revisions based on the feedback you have received from your partners, and your final drafts will be due at the end of the day tomorrow! 

Friday, October 10, 2014

Day 37!

Happy Homecoming Friday!!

Today is a peer editing day! I will place you into group. For each person in your group, you will complete a Peer Editing Form based on their essay. Be sure that you are providing constructive feedback. "Yes" and "No" do not help the author make their essay stronger.

Please make a copy of the Peer Editing Form, or print it out to work with.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Day 36!

Happy Thursday!!

Today is your FINAL writing day. For real this time. You should have your rough draft done before you get to class tomorrow!

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Day 35!

Happy Wednesday!!

Today is your final writing day! Your goal is to finish your rough draft today!

If you get to a point where you are citing quotations in your essay, use this website to help guide you. I will also run you through it today too!

Another reminder: PLEASE be sure that you are drafting your essays on the document that I shared with you!

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Day 34!

Happy Tuesday! Happy Homecoming Week!

I hope you enjoyed your long weekend! Today is a writing day! Your goal is to write 1-1 1/2 pages today in class.

We will start the period by re-formatting our documents so they are essay-ready!

Friday, October 3, 2014

Day 33!

Happy Friday!!!

It's a writing day today!

Your goal today: Complete your outline/ begin writing your rough draft. PLEASE show me your outline before you begin writing!

To change the margins and font on your rough draft: 

1. Click "File"
2. "Page Setup"
3. Change left and right margins from 0.5 to 1


4. Press command+ A and change font to Times New Roman (12 pt)
5. Command + A change to double space

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Day 32!

Happy Thursday!!!

By now, you should have picked a side for your essay, and you should have started making a list of reasons why.

Your goal today:  Create a thesis statement for the essay. Remember it must have the following things: 1. Topic 2. Claim 3. Specific Reasons

Once you have your thesis, you should move on to making your outline. You have three options below. Pick one of these to complete. This should be done before you come to class tomorrow! In addition, this outline must be complete before you move on to writing your essay!

Block Method Google Doc Outline
Point-by-Point Method Google Doc Outline
Compare/Contrast Essay Map Online


If you have been absent, or just need a reference. You can use this PRESENTATION to help you out. Remember, any changes that you make to your essay should be done on the doc that I shared with you!

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Day 31!

I'm so confused on what day of the week it is. Yesterday, I almost typed "Happy Wednesday", and today I almost typed "Happy Tuesday". Maybe I need to go home... :)

Lucky for you, I will stay and suck it up!

Today we will finish up talking about the structure of a compare/contrast essay. Then, we will move on to your essay! You will notice that I have updated daily expectations for this essay on the "Upcoming Assignments" calendar on the right hand side of this page ----------->

Be sure that you are keeping up on those daily goals!

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Day 30!

Happy Tuesday! Happy ACT day to most of you!

1st and 4th hour: It will be a study hall today since most all of you are gone!

6th hour: We will read, and then we will finish up with our Twix/Starburst outlines. After that, we will spend some quality time discussing your upcoming essay!

Monday, September 29, 2014

Day 29!

Happy Monday!!

I hope you enjoyed your weekend! We will continue to discuss the ins and outs of writing a compare/contrast essay today. You will get back into your groups to finish our activity.

If you were gone on Friday, you will need to check out this PRESENTATION to see what you missed. You will probably want to take notes on it to help you once we start your own essay.

Speaking of that, you will want to check out this document for information about this essay. You will also be receiving an individual copy of this.

Friday, September 26, 2014

Day 28!

Happy Friday! Fifteen minute Friday!

I've got a surprise for you today...I will give you a hint...it is either crunchy or chewy!

That's all I have to say about that.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Day 27!

Thursday? Is it Thursday already? Well, fancy that!

Anyway, today we will finish The Crucible! I'm interested to see how you all respond to the ending.

After that, we will spend some time talking about your conformity trackers.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Day 26!

It's Wednesday! Yay!

Take yesterday's plan and press "repeat", because we're doing it again! I'm guessing that today (or tomorrow) will be our last day with The Crucible.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Day 25!

Tuesday! Man, that Monday just flew by didn't it?

Same plan as yesterday. We'll read and then we'll watch! Be sure that you are keeping up with your conformity trackers. Take some notes about characters' actions throughout the movie so you can remember easily what type of person they were.

Also, if you are not about 200 pages into your books by now, you will want to kick it into gear!

Monday, September 22, 2014

Day 24!

Happy Monday! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend!

We'll keep Crucible-ing today! I hope you are enjoying the movie as much as I am-it's starting to get so good!

Friday, September 19, 2014

Day 23!

Happy Friday!!

We'll read and then we Crucible!

If you were gone yesterday, you will need to get a Comprehension Check Ticket and turn that in ASAP!

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Day 22!

Happy Thursday! You're almost through another week!

We'll do our reading followed by a short comprehension ticket to start the day. These tickets will be due before you leave today (I will hand them out in class).

Then, it's movie time! We will continue with The Crucible today!

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Day 21!

Happy Wednesday!

If you are reading this, you should be redirect your eyes-- you should be reading your free reading book! It's a book day!

You will have the entire class period to read today.  Be on the look out for a check in question in the coming days!

Day 20!

You made it to day 20!

Today we will pick up where we left off yesterday, which is in three different spots (one for each class).

The goal is to start the movie today for all classes. I will pass out your Conformity Trackers and explain them during class today. As we are watching the film, keep the following questions in mind:

  1.  Is it better to conform  to society's expectations in order to protect your reputation, or to be an individual, despite the consequences?
  2. What are the consequences for conforming? For being an individual?

Monday, September 15, 2014

Day 19!

Happy Monday!! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Okay, so back to business. Today, we will finish up with any remaining parts of "Half Hanged Mary" that we have not yet discussed. Then, we will move on to our next part of this unit, The Crucible !


We'll spend some time talking about what it means to conform, get some background information from this short video.

After that, we will begin watching the film! As we watch, be sure to fill in your Conformity Trackers ( I will hand them out during class) ! 

Friday, September 12, 2014

Day 18!

High Five Friday! Fifteen minute Friday!

We will finish "Half Hanged Mary" today!

Also, while I'm thinking about it, please remind me to ask you all about the ACTs here at school. If you don't remind me, then I will forget about it, and my world will probably come to an end. So, this is VERY important!

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Day 17!

Thursday is here! Rejoice!

We'll keep working through our "Half Hanged Mary"  presentations today. It should be a killer time!

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Day 16!

Wednesday!

It's hump day!! Today we will present our "Half Hanged Mary" analyses and discuss your findings. I'm hoping for some lively debates; I know you all love arguing about literature as much as I do! :)

If we get some free time after that, I will let you READ MORE! Woohoo!

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Day 15!

Happy Tuesday!

Today we will continue to work with our groups for "Half Hanged Mary". If we get time, we will present our findings to the class.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Day 14!

Happy Monday!!!!! I'm so excited to see you!

We will continue working with "Half Hanged Mary" today. On Friday, you began reading the poem, and you were to identify examples of metaphor, simile, and personification along the way. Today, you will be placed in groups to work more with the poem.

Your first job will be to finish finding the examples of figurative language. Then, each group will be assigned 1-3 sections of the poem to analyze more closely.

When you receive your section(s), complete the following steps/ answer the following questions:


  1.  Complete all steps of TWIST for that section. You do not need to translate every line! This time, summarize each stanza into 2-3 sentences. 
  2. Circle the words that stand out most in your sections. What are the negative/ positive connotations that go with those words? Why did Atwood select those particular words?
  3. What is the mood of each section? How do you know?
  4. What is the most powerful image in your section?
Once each group has finished analyzing, you will present your findings to the class. So, please be prepared to do that; assign certain parts to all members of the group. Each of you should play some role in the presentation. 


Friday, September 5, 2014

Day 13!

Happy Friday!!! Friday, the thirteenth day of school...is that creepy? I can't tell.

Anyway, it's Friday and I'm PUMPED.

Today we will start with a (hopefully) really easy review of our #wordcrimes words. Please complete the form below, so I can check to see how you're doing with these words!



After that, we will get started on our next poem "Half Hanged Mary" by Margaret Atwood. It's one of my favorites because it is so awesome!! As you read today, I want you to highlight examples of figurative language, specifically metaphors and similes. We'll do a really brief review of those so you know what you're looking for.

On Monday, we will do some group work with this poem,  but for today, I would just like you to read through it and identify the figurative language.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Day 12!

Hey! Happy Thursday!

After we read, you will have the class period to draft your RAFTS Assignment. Again, please do this on a Google Doc, and then submit it using the form below. Please do NOT email it to me!

As you write this, be sure to try to capture the voice of a Puritan. This is not your opinion, but how you think they would have felt about Bradstreet's poetry. Also be sure to include specific examples from the poems to support the opinions of your character! These should be about 300 words long. Don't freak out, that's only like three paragraphs.

With this journal entry you are showing that you can:

  • cite text evidence to support your analysis of Anne Bradstreet's poetry
  • discuss how Puritans probably would have responded to the topics of these poems based on their cultural values and beliefs (how society shaped/reflected literature)

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Day 11!

You know what's cool about today? Today is kind of like a Monday because it's our first day of the week, but it's also like a Wednesday because it's Wednesday. Pretty neat, huh?

Anyway, welcome back from your Labor Day Weekend.

Today, we will start with our first day of 10 minute reading!

Then, we will finish our discussion from Friday about Anne Bradstreet's poems, "In Memory Of..." and "To My Dear and Loving Husband".

After that, you will have some time to work on a short RAFTS writing activity. Click HERE to access the information. Also, please complete this on a Google Doc. so as to avoid any issues opening the document. Once you have finished your RAFTS, please turn them in using the form below.

See you in class!

Friday, August 29, 2014

Day 10!

Happy second Friday of the year!!

You will have some time to finish TWISTING our second set of Anne Bradstreet poems today. "In Memory Of..." and "To My Dear and Loving Husband" 

When you are done, write a brief answer to each of the following questions:

1. What is the theme of each poem? Does it reflect good Puritan values?
2. Based on what you know about the Puritans, how would they react to Bradstreet's poetry?


IF we get time after we discuss the poems, we will begin a short writing assignment. You can access the information by clicking this link! ----->Puritan RAFTS


Thursday, August 28, 2014

Day 9!

Happy rainy Thursday!

We will finish our discussion of "Upon the Burning of Our House" today! Then, we will finally get to move on to Bradstreet's next two poems "In Memory Of..." and "To My Dear and Loving Husband".

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Day 8!

Happy Wednesday!

We will take some time to finish up with "Upon the Burning of Our House"


Then, if we get time, we will TWIST through "To My Dear and Loving Husband" and "In Memory" !

After you've analyzed each, answer the following questions:

1. What is the main message of each poem?
2.Based on what you know about Puritans, how would they react to this poem? Why?

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Day 7!

Happy Tuesday!

Today we will continue to work with Bradstreet's  "Upon the Burning of Our House"

Remember to use the steps of TWIST!

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. Don’t interpret it, just tell it in your own words.

I=          Imagery: Look for any imagery (description that makes it so real you can imagine it with any of your five senses), symbolism, metaphors, similes, personification, irony, understatement, allusions, alliteration, onomatopoeia, assonance, rhythm (write out the meter pattern), rhyme scheme, tone and the tone shift, poet’s attitude toward the subject, etc.


S=         Structure: Look for the tone shift, punctuation used, stanza division, changes in stanza or line length, layout of poem, or 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.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Day 6!

Happy Monday! I hope you all enjoyed the weekend!

We'll pick up where we left off on Friday. We will take a look at the research that you did on the Puritans!

Once we get through that, we will start discussing our first author, Anne Bradstreet. If we get some time, we will read her poem "Upon the Burning of Our House" . With a partner (a NEW partner), read the poem and analyze it using the steps of TWIST (see below). We will discuss the poem tomorrow in class.



TWIST Method of Poetry Analysis

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. Don’t interpret it, just tell it in your own words.

I=          Imagery: Look for any imagery (description that makes it so real you can imagine it with any of your five senses), symbolism, metaphors, similes, personification, irony, understatement, allusions, alliteration, onomatopoeia, assonance, rhythm (write out the meter pattern), rhyme scheme, tone and the tone shift, poet’s attitude toward the subject, etc.


S=         Structure: Look for the tone shift, punctuation used, stanza division, changes in stanza or line length, layout of poem, or 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, August 22, 2014

Day 5!

Remember on Monday when you thought this day would never come?! Well it's finally here; it's finally Friday!

Today, we will finish up with any remaining #wordcrimes presentations (winners will be selected within the next week).

After that, we will get to work on our Puritan Research Questions. If we have extra time, we will discuss what you found regarding these early Americans.

Then, I will give you a two day break! You're welcome.

Also, check out our writing goals in this sweet Wordle!
  Wordle: Writing Goals- English III

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Day 4.

It's THURSDAY!!!! We are going to make it!

We'll finish up with our #wordcrimes poster presentations today! Remember to be taking good notes on these words, so you are prepared should you ever have to take a quiz over these.....................

Once we are done with that, we will move on to our very first unit- the Puritans! (Can I get a whoop whoop?!)

With one partner, you will have some time to answer these research questions. Use the text books in class, your computers, and any other resources you choose. Don't be lazy, though, look further than Wikipedia!

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Day 3!

Happy Wednesday! You're almost through your first week!

Today, we will spend some more time working with our word crimes! I will give you plenty of time to make your posters look as awesome as possible. Be sure that you include a mix of images and words on your posters! Someone from another class should be able to look at your images and understand when to use each word.


All three classes are creating posters for the same words, so your group will be competing to get your poster on the #wordcrimes board. The groups who make the board will earn an awesome prize!

Once your posters are completed, we will present them to the class.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Day 2!

Happy Tuesday!

Can you believe you made it through the first day of school alive? I sure can't!

Okay, so today, we are going to start working on our building goal of improving our writing skills. To begin with, we will take a look at your semester essays from last year. You will first read through what you wrote and the comments that Mrs. J made. Then, you will reflect on your writing using the reflection/ goal setting sheet that I will give you.

Once we are all done with that, we will get into groups and begin working on #wordcrimes. We will watch Weird Al's sweet video, and then divide our words up into groups.

Here are our word crimes groupings:


  1. less vs fewer
  2. it's vs its
  3. good vs well
  4. figurative vs literal
  5. who's vs whose
  6. your vs you're 
  7. their, there, they're
  8. to, two, too
  9. woman vs women
  10. all ready vs already
  11. buy, bye, by
  12. lose vs loose
  13. who vs whom
  14. affect vs effect
  15. have vs of


Monday, August 18, 2014

DAY. 1.

Welcome back to school! I can't believe summer is OVER. I hope you had a great vacation and that you are stoked to be back.

Today, we will spend some time getting to know each other, and will go over the basics of life in Mrs. Gulley's room. It's going to be so exciting!

Yay for school!

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Day 178!

Happy last day of actual class!
Today we review for our semester test! We will play Macbeth Jeopardy! I will post the game on the blog at the end of the day so that you can study tonight!

Click HERE to access the Jeopardy questions (the links won't work in this one).
Use this Study Guide to help you figure out what to study!

Here is the schedule for the next two days of tests:

Thursday
Period 1        8:05 – 9:11                    
Period 2        9:15 – 10:21       
MTV            10:25 – 10:40                       
Period 3        10:44 – 11:50     
Lunch           11:50 – 12:20  
Period 4        12:24 – 1:30      

Friday
Period 5        8:05 – 9:11        
Period 6        9:15 – 10:21     
MTV            10:25 – 10:40     
Period 7        10:44 – 11:50   
Lunch           11:50 – 12:20   
Period 8        12:24 – 1:30           

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Day 177!

Happy Tuesday! I hope you had a good Memorial Day Weekend!

Today, we are going to finish Macbeth. If we want to get this done, it's going to require one more day of hard work and participation from you! If we can get the play done today, we will have time to review for your test tomorrow. If not, then we will use tomorrow to finish what we do not today!

As we are reading/ watching/ discussing Act V, we will still use Act IV-V Discussion Questions.

These are the parts we'll take a look at today:
Scene 1: Film & Questions
Scene 3: Read pages 405-407
Scene 4: Read lines 1-7 page 408
Scene 5: Macbeth Speeches on page 409
Scene 8: Film & Questions

State track people: Please check the blog from last week to see what you need to make up. It is YOUR responsibility to cover the material that you missed !

Friday, May 23, 2014

Day 176!

Friday has arrived!

We'll finish up reading IV.i today and then will jump ahead to Act V.

We will use Act IV-V Discussion Questions to guide our discussion and our notes in class. I'm hoping to cover the following scenes in class today (they are pretty short). Whatever we

  • V.i (we'll watch this one-- I forgot my DVD at home today, though, so we'll watch it HERE on Youtube..sorry for the Portuguese subtitles)
  • V.iii
  • V.iv
  • V.v

We will finish the rest on Tuesday!

If you are at state track: You are responsible for reading these scenes and keeping up with the notes. You can read the play HERE.   UPDATE: If you are at state track today (or otherwise absent), check the information below to see where your class ended!

1st period: Finished all of Act IV (you will be responsible for reading IV.i and getting notes/ summaries for IV.ii-iii)

4th period: Finished Act IV & Watched V.i with Discussion Questions (you are responsible for reading IV.i, getting notes for IV.ii-iii, watching V.i  (linked above), and answering the discussion questions)

6th period: Finished all of Act IV (you will be responsible for reading IV.i and getting notes/ summaries for IV.ii-iii)

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Day 175!

THURSDAY.

We'll start today by discussing what we watched yesterday. We will use these Act III Questions scenes ii-iv to guide our discussion.

As we discuss, be sure you are updating your Macbeth scene notes!

Then we will take a look at Acts IV and V (focusing on scenes IV.i and V.i). We will read Act IV scene i, and watch Act V, scene i. We will use these ACTS IV & V Questions to guide us.

If you are gone for state track, it will be your responsibility to read these scenes, answer the questions, AND update your scene notes. You can use this online version of Macbeth to read it. Macbeth ONLINE.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Day 174!!

Happy Wednesday, and happy last day to our seniors!

We'll spend some time talking about III.i at the beginning of class today, and then we will kick back and watch the movie! While you are watching, please answer these Scene Questions! After you answer the questions, be sure to keep your  scene notes up to pace!

Seniors, you will take your test while the rest of the class is discussing and movie-ing! Before I sign your exit sheets, you will need to make sure you have all missing work submitted! If you choose not to turn that work in, it will be counted as a zero!

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Day 173!

It's Tuesday! Yay!

Today, we'll start making our way through Act III of Macbeth.  With a partner, please read these soliloquies and speeches from Act III Scene i. Click HERE to access them! As you read, annotate these speeches and turn them into "regular" English. Once you have finished with scene i, you may move on to scene ii in the book (it's pretty short, I promise). 

If we get time, we'll start watching scenes III. iv-v! We'll answer these questions as we watch that part!


If you need it, here is a link to an online version of Macbeth. Just click HERE!

Monday, May 19, 2014

Day 172!

Happy Monday!

Today we will spend a little time reviewing your Living Pictures presentations, and we will discuss these questions.

Then, we will take some time to finish what you did not get to on Friday. Please answer the question below in a 2-3 paragraph journal entry, then submit it on the form below.

SENIORS: On Wednesday, you will take a test over the portion of Macbeth that you have read. Use this Study Guide to help you prepare! 

Journal Question: Look at the five themes from Macbeth that are posted on the board, pick one or two of them to answer the following questions. How have the events and the characters in the play helped to build this theme so far? What is a time in your life that one or more of these themes has been relevant? Please do this in a Google Doc.


Thursday, May 15, 2014

Day 171!

Happy Friday!

I'm sorry you're missing me again today! Please be nice to our sub!

You will have the first 10-15 minutes to finish preparing your "Living Pictures" presentation for the class. Remember narrators, that you are basically filling in the rest of the class about what goes on in your scene- they haven't read it, so be sure to be very specific. Our sub will be taking one still photo of your scene, and then will video tape your presentation using the iPad, so I can see how awesome you did!

After each presentation, please fill in your Macbeth notes sheets to make sure you are up to speed with the scenes. Please do not have your computers open all the way during the presentations. If you have any questions after each scene presentation, be sure to write them down on your notes and ask the presenters if they know the answer.

Once the presentations are done, please answer the following question in a 2-3 paragraph journal entry, then submit it on the form below.

Journal Question: Look at the five themes from Macbeth that are posted on the board. How have the events and the characters in the play helped to build this theme so far? What is a time in your life that one or more of these themes has been relevant? 


Day 170!

Happy Thursday!

Today we will continue to work with our groups on the Act II scenes. Be sure you fill out your Living Pictures Planning Guide and then start practicing your performance. I am hoping we can perform them before the end of class today!

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Day 169!

Happy Wednesday!

You're welcome- you get a break from me today, but lucky for you, you don't get a break from Macbeth! Please start today by watching the video below- it covers discussion questions 7-11 on your worksheets that we've been talking about.



Once you are done with that, you will get some time to begin work on your next assignment. In your assigned groups (see doc below or click HERE), you will read one scene from Act II of the play. As you read (do this together and out loud, please), be sure to take note of the main idea of the scene, key lines, and any references to themes (use your notes sheets for this).

After you are done reading, complete a copy of the Living Pictures Planning Guide (the sub will have one copy for each group, or you can print one using the link). Your task is to design a "living picture"- this is kind of like a freeze frame that represents what happens in your scene. Your group members, except for one narrator*, will be the characters in this living picture (you'll be posed like statues). The member who is not a statue will be in charge of explaining what each person represents to the class.

Along with your statues, you should also create a fitting background (to be displayed on the SMART board) that includes key lines and themes from this scene. I have posted an example of one of last year's below (they do not have a background, so you will need to be creative with that part).

If one of your group members is going to be gone for your performance, be sure to assign them a role outside of the picture (they can design the background, they can design the picture, they can fill out the form, etc.) Everyone else must be in the picture somehow, with the exception of the narrator. *However, if many of your group members will be gone on presentation day, the narrator may need to remain in the picture.*

Example Living Picture: 

Living Picture Groups: 

Day 168!

Happy Tuesday!

We'll finish up our questions to start class today, and then we'll talk about as many of the answers as possible before tomorrow. I will post a video on tomorrow's post that covers each question that we do not discuss today.

Tomorrow, I will be gone (don't get excited) with the NHS members. You will be starting Act II in small groups. Each group will be assigned to read one scene, and then create a "Living Picture" of that scene. Please check the blog tomorrow morning for scene assignments and and "Living Picture" expectations.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Day 167!

Oh my gosh, look at that number! The end of the school year is JUST ABOUT HERE!

But, before I say, "Congratulations, you've survived English III!" we've got work to do!

First of all, if you have not done so yet, please turn in your comic strips to your class tray.

Also, if you have not turned in your peer editing from our Reflective Essays, you need to get that done ASAP. Please turn it in using the form at the bottom of this post.

I feel like today is a good day for watching a movie. SO, we will do just that. We will watch the end of Act I of Macbeth, and then we will spend some time looking at the text in small groups. I will give you some questions to answer as we watch the film/ check out the books. We will discuss what you found tomorrow!

Turn your peer editing forms in here:

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Day 163!

Happy Tuesday- I hope you all enjoyed your long weekend!

Since there were so many people absent on Friday, we used that day as a reading/ catch up day. So, we will go with Friday's plan for today!

Friday, May 2, 2014

Day 162!

Happy Friday!

Today, we will try our darndest to finish scenes 1-3 of Macbeth. Then, oh yeah, THEN we will get our elementary on!

You will create a comic strip that shows what happens in these scenes. Then, you will write a paragraph (using specific examples from the play) explaining why you do or do not think this is a good opening to a play.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Day 161!

Happy Thursday!

Today we will start with your Shakespeare quiz!!!

Then, we will continue moving forward with Macbeth. As we continue to progress with the play, please keep a running document of notes on each scene. These notes will help you later on with writing assignments and comprehension quizzes. You may use the template that I have included here
------>Macbeth Scene Notes Template

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Day 160!

Happy Wednesday!

We'll start today by doing a couple of more introductory activities to Macbeth.

Then, we will finally start reading! Get PUMPED!

Remember, the quiz over your pink packets will be TOMORROW!

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Day 159!

Tuesday!

Today we will finish up with any part of "De-Mystifying Will's Words" that we did not get to yesterday. Then, we will take just a little time to practice using some of Shakespeare's famous insults.

After that, we will do some around the world review of your pink packets to ensure that you are ready for a quiz over the background information about Shakespeare, the Globe theater, and tragedies. This quiz will be on THURSDAY!

Once we have finished that, we will start doing some introductory activities to Macbeth. AND if we get any time at the end of class, we will BEGIN READING THE PLAY!

See you soon!

Monday, April 28, 2014

Day 158!

Happy Monday!

Today we will continue to work with your "De-Mystifying Will's Words" packet!

We'll take a look at the rhythm and beat of his works, the meanings of some of his words, and the structures of his sentences.

If we get time at the end of the period, we will practice insulting each other!

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Day 157!

Happy Friday!

Today, you will have a little time to finish up the second part of your pink Shakespeare packets. Remember, this part of the packet relates to the reading on pages 321-324 in the purple text books AND to the last page of your packet. Be sure to read all the pages to find the answers.

Once everyone is done with that, you will have another "teacher" (one of you in the class) go through the answers to make sure you're all on the same page. Mrs. Price and Mr. Sneller have the answers, so if you guys can't decide on what the correct answer is, ask the experts!

After that, you will read the "De-mystifying Will's Words" packet as a class. Mrs. Price has copies of these to hand out. Please be sure to leave them here when class is over. After you have read through the white packet, I want you to work as a class to create a list of 5 tips that will help you read Shakespeare. Please select someone to record these tips on a poster paper from the side counter.

If there is any down time throughout the period, I expect that you will be free reading.

Have a good weekend!

Day 156!

Happy Thursday!

We'll start today by discussing the information you read about Shakespeare's life on pages 314-320.

After that, we will take some time to read the next section, pages 321-324 + "The Curse" handout (you can find that at the back of your packets).

If we get time after that, we will discuss those answers as well!

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Day 155!

Happy Wednesday!

Today we will continue working with our pink Shakespeare packets. I will give you some time with your partners to finish the reading and then we will talk through the answers!

If we get some time after that, we will move on to the next part of the reading.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Day 154!

Tuesday!

Time sure does fly when you're having fun!

Today, we will start with our vocabulary for the week!

This week's words are:

  • allusion
  • calamity
  • duplicity
  • facetious
  • implicit
  • erudite
Remember when you are creating your presentation, you need the following: 
  • word
  • part of speech
  • definition IN YOUR OWN WORDS
  • example sentence
  • visual representation
  • fun way to remember the word
After that, we will get started with our next author....duh duh DUH (like the evil noises?)

Don't forget- your reading response sheets are due tomorrow as well!! 

Monday, April 21, 2014

Day 153!

Happy Monday!

Today is the FINAL day to finish your essays! You should have reached "the island" by now and should have at least started work on your Peer Editing Forms. You will have class today to make revisions based on the comments your partner made. Yes, there should be revisions on EVERY paper. No offense, but none of you are perfect...there's always room to grow!

Once you have finished your revisions, please turn in your peer editing forms using the form below. Then, you need to begin free reading your new books!

As you begin free reading, please grab a response slip at the front of the room. Everyone must turn in a response slip by the end of the day on Wednesday! 


Thursday, April 17, 2014

Day 152!

Happy Thursday!


Today is your day to finish up your essays! Don't forget once you move closer "to the island", you will need to pick a partner to complete the PEER EDITING FORM with.

Once you have finished your peer editing forms, please submit your form to your partner AND using the form below. Then, you may begin revising your essays. Your goal is to have this finished by the end of the period.

If you finish that, then you are to be reading your free reading book! I will be checking to make sure that you are making progress!

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Day 151!

Happy rough draft day!

As you all know, your rough drafts are due today! We will spend some time peer editing them before we finalize them!

I will ask you to separate into three groups depending on where you are at with your essay. Then, with a partner from your group, you will complete this PEER EDITING/ REVISION FORM. Once you have completed AND discussed these forms, you will have the rest of the period to revise your essay.

Remember, your final drafts are due tomorrow!

ADDITIONAL REMINDER: Please bring your free reading book with you to class tomorrow!

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Day 150!

It's Tuesday- get pumped!

Today's your final work day for your rough drafts, so you should have 3-4 pages by the end of class today! Tomorrow we will be doing some peer editing (holla!).

Make sure you are making good progress during class today! In the least creepy way possible, I will be watching you! :) [insert evil laugh here] But really, if you have questions,  please let me know!

Monday, April 14, 2014

Day 149!

Happy snowy April morning!

Today is a work day for your essay! Remember, you should have 1-2 pages done by the end of class today. Be sure that you are typing in your Doctopus document for the essay as well; it should all be in one spot!

Happy writing!

Friday, April 11, 2014

Day 148!

Happy Friday!

We'll have a work day for your Reflective Essays today! Be sure that you are working on the Doctopus document that I shared with you last week.

By the end of today, you should have your Essay Planners completed, and you can be moving on to writing your essay. Your completed essay should be 3-4 pages in length.

The schedule for next week will look like this:

Monday:  Drafting Day: 1-2 pages complete
Tuesday: Drafting Day: 3-4 pages complete
Wednesday:  Rough Draft Due @ beginning of class. Peer editing day!
Thursday: Final Draft Due!


Thursday, April 10, 2014

Day 147!

Happy Thursday!

Also happy first day back from MAP testing!

Today, we will FINALLY get to talk about Author's Purpose Chart from Frederick Douglass' "My Bondage and My Freedom".  If you have not already done so, please turn your chart in using the form below.

Then, we'll move on to our next big thing, our reflective essays! Our first step will be to use the Reflective Essay Planner, and you can find the rubric HERE.


Friday, April 4, 2014

Day 144!

Happy Friday!

You've almost made it through the week, and then it will be party time (prom...remember that's this weekend)!

Today we will spend a little time discussing what you thought about Frederick Douglass' "My Bondage and My Freedom". Please be sure to turn in your Author's Purpose Chart using the form below.




THEN, we get to move on to big things! Much like Douglass did, we will be writing an autobiography of sorts! For the next few days, you will be writing an essay about an experience in your life that has helped shape who you are as a person. You can see details HERE. AND, you can access the rubric HERE!

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Day 143!

Thursday!

Today we will continue with Frederick Douglass' "My Bondage and My Freedom". We will continue to work with the Author's Purpose Chart. We will start this reading together, and then break up into partner groups. Once you are finished, please submit your charts using the form below.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Day 142!

Happy Wednesday!

Today we will finish up with our Frederick Douglass Author Notes Sheet. Remember to fill out your notes as the other groups are presenting.

Once we are done with that, we will begin discussing Douglass' autobiography My Bondage and My Freedom. We will spend a little time talking about what author's purpose is and track Douglass' purpose using this Author's Purpose Chart.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Day 141!

Good Tuesday to you all!

Today we will start by finishing any vocabulary that we did not get to yesterday!

Then, we will move on to our next author--Frederick Douglass (can I get a "whoop whoop"?). We'll start by finding out a little about who he was by using this Author Notes Sheet, but we are going to do it a little differently this time, just for the sake of fun!

Once we have finished with that, we will start talking about his autobiography My Bondage and My Freedom. We will talk about what an autobiography is, and we will discuss why Douglass felt he needed to write about his life. We will analyze his purpose for writing using this Author's Purpose Chart!

By the end of reading this selection, you will be able to say:


  • I can analyze an author's purpose for writing. 
  • I can read, comprehend, analyze, and critique an autobiography. 

Monday, March 31, 2014

Day 140!

Happy Monday!

If you didn't tune in from Tuesday-Friday of last week, you missed out on some brilliant book projects. Today we will finish the final presentations and then move on!

If we finish early, we will start working on this week's vocabulary. Remember, when you are creating your word presentation, you need the following things:

  • Word
  • Part of speech
  • Definition IN YOUR OWN WORDS
  • Example sentence
  • Visual representation
  • Fun way to remember the word
Our words for the week are: 
  • appease
  • manifest
  • slovenly
  • terse
  • vie
  • buffoon
See you soon! 

Monday, March 24, 2014

Day 135!

Welcome back!! I am so excited that we are back; I know you all missed me very much!

Today will be your final work day for book projects, and we will begin with presentations tomorrow!

Be sure you are using your time wisely- I will be randomly selecting our presenters, so you should be prepared to present at any time!

Our book genre for 4th quarter will be choice again. Once you have finished your current book project, please select a new book and begin reading!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Day 132!

Happy Wednesday!

Today, you will have more time to work on your book projects. I will be coming around throughout the period to check on your progress. At the end of class you will show me what you have accomplished. If we are not making forward progress, then we will not take any more time out of class to work on this project. So, if you would like more work time tomorrow, be sure you are working!

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Day 131!

Good Tuesday!

Today will be your first work day for your book projects! Be sure that you turn in your questions and charts from yesterday (use the form on yesterday's post).

If you were gone,  check out yesterday's post to complete the work needed! And be sure to check out the new BOOK PROJECT OPTIONS!

Monday, March 10, 2014

Day 130!

Happy Monday!!!

Today, we will continue to work with Stephen Crane's "An Episode of War". Remember, as we are reading to keep track of events that are examples of realism and naturalism. We will start off reading together, and then I will set you loose on it with a partner. Once you have finished reading, answer the following analysis questions"An Episode of War" Questions.

Be sure to check out the new Reading Workshop Project Options for this quarter! We will be working on these the rest of the week, so be sure to bring your book with you each day!

Friday, March 7, 2014

Day 129!

Happy Friday!!

Today, we will finish our discussion about Stephen Crane. THEN, we will read his short story "An Episode of War". As we read, please make a chart that details which events are examples of realism and which are examples of naturalism.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Day 128!

Thursday!!

Remember, today is the day for the vocabulary quiz retake! You may come in at any time throughout the day to do that. Be sure that you complete the RETAKE TICKET.

We will begin today by talking about the three questions you were to research at the end of the day yesterday:

  • What is realism?
  • What is naturalism?
  • What is the difference between the two?
  • Practice
Then, we will discuss your Author Notes-Stephen Crane

If we get time, we will begin reading Crane's "An Episode of War". As we read, make a chart that identifies the examples of realism and naturalism. 

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Day 127!

Happy Wednesday!!

We'll start today by handing back your vocabulary quizzes, which, unfortunately will not be so happy for most of you. I have a feeling that many of you came less prepared than needed. SO, I will be offering a retake for this quiz. IN ORDER TO TAKE THE RETAKE, you must PRINT, COMPLETE, and SIGN this Retake Ticket. The retake will be offered tomorrow before or after school or during a study hall.  No retakes will be offered on Friday.

You will have some time today to finish up with the Stephen Crane Author Notes sheet from yesterday. Remember, in order to fully complete this sheet, you will need to do some of your own research!

Once you have completed that, work with a partner to answer the following in student-friendly terms; take notes on your findings:

  • What is realism? 
  • What is naturalism? 
  • What is the difference between the two?
IF your finish all of that early, grab your free reading book and get to reading. Once everyone has their book out, I will know that we are ready to discuss your findings!

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Day 126!

Good Tuesday to you all!

Today's the day!!  It's vocabulary quiz day!!!! I will give you about 5-7 minutes at the beginning of class to go over any last minute words that you may want to re-study, and then we will go for it!

When you are finished, please turn your quizzes into me. Then, please begin working on the author notes for our next author, Stephen Crane. You can access the notes sheet RIGHT HERE! Please work on this individually until everyone has completed their quizzes.

Once everyone has finished, we will redistribute the quizzes and grade them together!

After that, you will have more time to complete your author notes! You will have whatever time is remaining to free read!

Friday, February 28, 2014

Day 125!

It's FRIDAY!!! Thank goodness we made it!

We'll split the day between vocabulary and reading (if you're in 1st or 6th). You will spend the first part of the period studying the vocabulary. You will have about 10 minutes to study on your own, and then I will have you create a 5 question practice quiz for your partner.

You will have the remainder of class to read your books!

4th hour: You will have the period to continue work on your Experiencing the Civil War journal. These will be due at the end of class today.

Once you are finished, please submit your journals using the form below.
When you are done, please study your vocabulary.  Use the Quizlet for help. Remember, if you have not already requested access to the class, it will give you an error message! If this happens, click on the link that says "Gulley English III". That will lead you to a page where you can request access, set up a Quizlet account, etc. I have decided to move our quiz to Tuesday!!!


Thursday, February 27, 2014

Day 124!

Thursday!

You will have the period to continue work on your Experiencing the Civil War journal. These will be due before the start of class tomorrow. (Unless you are in 4th hour; you don't have class today).

Once you are finished, please submit your journals using the form below.  When you are done, I would strongly suggest studying your vocabulary! Use the Quizlet for help. Remember, if you have not already requested access to the class, it will give you an error message! If this happens, click on the link that says "Gulley English III". That will lead you to a page where you can request access, set up a Quizlet account, etc. I have decided to move our quiz to Tuesday!!!


Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Day 123!

Happy Wednesday!!

We'll pick up where we left off yesterday! After we have finished discussing all of our primary sources, you will get an opportunity to practice your own narrative skills with the Experiencing the Civil War activity! For this assignment, you will be researching a Civil War battle of your choice (besides the two that we have already read about), and you will tell about the battle from the perspective of a Union or Confederate soldier, or another spectator (like Mary Chesnut). These will be due at the end of class tomorrow!

Below, you will find a link to a history database full of reliable sources.

ABC-Clio
Username: earlham1
password: cardinals



Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Day 122!

Tuesday! Yay for progressing through the week!

Today we will continue with our primary source reading that we started yesterday. I showed you kind of what I am looking for as we read Mary Chesnut's account of the battle at Fort Sumter. Today, you will work with a partner (or by yourself) to finish the other two accounts of the war. You will read what it was like to join an army, and a first hand account of surviving Gettysburg. Make sure you continue to work with your Primary Sources Note Taking Guide as you read! I will give you about 20 minutes to complete this. Once we have finished them, please submit your final notes using the form below. 

After we spend a little time discussing what you read today, you will get an opportunity to practice your own narrative skills with the  Experiencing the Civil War activity! For this activity, you will be researching a Civil War battle of your choice (besides the two that we have already read about), and you will tell about the battle from the perspective of a Union or Confederate soldier, or another spectator (like Mary Chesnut). These will be due at the end of class tomorrow! 


On a separate note, be sure to study your vocabulary words throughout the week; we will have a quiz on FRIDAY!

Monday, February 24, 2014

Day 121!

Good Monday to you all!

Today we get to move forward with our Civil War unit! We've seen some fiction already, so now it's time to look at some non fiction pieces!

We'll see three primary sources from the war, one from a war spectator, one from a Union soldier, and one from a Confederate soldier! It's going to be a blast!

As we are reading, please use this Primary Sources Note Taking Guide to help you process what we read. We will practice generating questions about each tex as we read; this can help us focus our reading to better understand the authors' purpose and perspectives.

Friday, February 21, 2014

Day 120!

Happy Friday!

Today we'll be working to get everyone back on track!

So, first we will start by finishing any part of the discussion over "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" that we have not finished already.

Then, we'll go over vocabulary! (See yesterday's post for the words)

If we have any time remaining, you will be free reading! Our deadline for quarter book projects is coming up!

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Day 119!

Happy Thursday!

1st hour: Today we will start by finishing "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". Then, we will work with this week's vocabulary (see below). If we have time after that, we will free read!

4th hour: We'll discuss the story and then work with the vocabulary.

6th hour: We will discuss the vocabulary and then spend the rest of the class free reading.

Vocabulary Words: 
  • listless
  • morose
  • pretentious
  • recluse
  • supersede
  • harangue
Remember: You need the following things: 
  • part of speech
  • definition in your own words
  • example sentence
  • visual representation
  • fun way to remember the word

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Day 118!

Happy Wednesday!

1st hour:  We will begin where we left off yesterday in "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". Make sure you are continuing to fill out your reading analysis sheet!

4th hour: We will discuss what you read yesterday, and then we will do some work with this week's vocabulary! (See yesterday's posts for words)

6th hour: We will discuss your reading analysis sheets and vocabulary. You will have whatever time is remaining to free read.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Day 117!

Happy Tuesday! I hope you enjoyed your unplanned long weekend!

Today we'll pick up where we left off on Friday! Each class is in a different spot, so please follow the directions for your class!

1st period: You need to begin reading "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". We will begin reading it together. Remember, as we are reading you should also be keeping track of the point of view and order the events take place using THIS READING ANALYSIS SHEET.

4th period:  You will be in Mr. Gilson's room today as I will be at KCWI with the Broadcasting & Media class. You need to continue reading  "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"  (that's a link to the story). We only got one paragraph into the story, so you may want to start over. Remember to fill out THE READING ANALYSIS sheet as you read. I will be checking in with you tomorrow to see how you are doing with it. If you finish early, please get with a partner and research the vocabulary words at the bottom of today's post.

6th period: You will be in Mrs. Mendoza's room today. I should be back within the first few minutes of class, so please be prepared to move back to my room. You all need to finish reading "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" (< that's a link to the story) and filling out THE READING ANALYSIS sheet. If you finish early, please get a partner and work on the vocabulary words below. If, for whatever reason, you finish all of that early, please free read!

Vocabulary Words: 


  • listless
  • morose
  • pretentious
  • recluse
  • supersede
  • harangue
Remember: You need the following for EACH word
  • word
  • part of speech
  • definition in your own words
  • example sentence
  • visual representation
  • fun way to remember the word

Friday, February 14, 2014

Day 116!

Friday is finally here!

1st and 4th hour: We'll spend some time talking about different types of point of view. THEN, we will finally get to start Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". As we are reading, pay attention to the order in which things happen and the switches in point of view. You will need THIS READING ANALYSIS SHEET to follow along.

6th hour:  Have a good weekend!

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Day 115!

Thursday!

1st and 4th hour: We'll start class by discussing what information you found about Ambrose Bierce during your research yesterday. THEN, we will move on to the story (after, of course, we discuss a few types of point of view and how to keep track of the structure of a story). You're going to be needing THIS READING ANALYSIS SHEET!

6th hour: We'll pick up where we left off yesterday!

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Day 114!

Happy Wednesday!

If you are in 1st or 4th hour, we will pick up where we left off yesterday! (Yee Haw!) See yesterday's post for 6th hour for details!

If you are in 6th hour, today we will begin by discussing the information that you found about Ambrose Bierce yesterday. Then, we will spend some time discussing different types of point of view. After that, we will begin reading Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". As we are reading, you will analyze the shifts in point of view and time. To do so, you will need THIS READING ANALYSIS WORKSHEET!

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Day 113!

Happy Tuesday! I hope you all just dominated that Written Expression exam!

If you're in 1st or 4th hour, today we will finish what we did not yesterday; vocabulary! (Insert "YAY!" here)___________________. No, seriously, I'm waiting for you to say, "YAY!" If we get time, we will move on to what 6th hour is doing (see below).

If you are in 6th hour, you are already finished with your vocabulary for the week. (Insert, "Yee haw!" here)_________________.

So, if you're in 6th hour, you get to start with our first Civil War author, Ambrose Bierce! (Yee haw again!) You and a partner (or yourself) will have some time to complete the author notes on Bierce. Want to know how to access the notes? CLICK HERE TO ACCESS AMBROSE BIERCE AUTHOR NOTES! <----That link is probably your best bet.

If we get time, we'll talk about Bierce's life and disappearance!

If you are a speedy worker and finish early, I expect you to be reading your free reading books!

Monday, February 10, 2014

Day 112!

Good Monday to you all!

I hope you all enjoyed yourselves taking the Iowa Assessments this morning!

Today, we will finish up with any remaining presentations from last week! Yay!

Then, you will have some time to grade your partners for this project using the form below!

After that, we will get to this week's vocabulary! Woo hoo!

This week's words are:

  • pugnacious
  • omnipotent
  • hubris
  • gregarious
  • exacerbate
  • hoi polloi 
Remember, as you are creating your visuals, you need the following: 
  • word
  • part of speech
  • definition in your own words
  • example sentence
  • visual representation
  • fun way to remember the word (try this Mnemonic Dictionary if you need help)
If we have any time remaining after that, you will have time to read!

Friday, February 7, 2014

Day 111!

Happy Friday! Whew...I am so glad we made it through this LONG week (just kidding...remember how we only had like 2.5 days of class?...it's a joke).

Okay, so each class is on a different schedule today (craziness), so here's the break down:

1st: You'll will be with Mrs. Johnson today. You will be free reading for the first 25-30 minutes of class. Then, you will break down into groups to discuss different elements of each of your books. On Monday, we will see Group 4's presentation!

4th:Welcome back! You will have the first few minutes to plan and finalize your group presentations. Then, you will finally get to present what you have been preparing!

6th: We will finish up with your presentations. I believe we only finished Group 1 yesterday, so we will start with Group 2! With whatever time is left, you will grade each of your partners using the form below! If we have any time after that, you will be free reading!


Thursday, February 6, 2014

Day 110!

Welcome back! Well, this has been a strange week!

1st hour: Today, you will have a few minutes to review your group presentation and information sheets. During this time, you should decide who will present what. Then, you will have an opportunity to grade your partners. With whatever time is remaining,  you will have the opportunity to read your books!


6th hour: We will follow Tuesday's plan since this is the first time we have seen each other this week!

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Day 109!

Good Tuesday to you all!

I hope you all had a safe trip into school today!

We'll pick up where we left off on Friday with our group work.  Remember, your presentation should highlight and summarize the important information in your section. You should also prepare a notes document for your classmates (the format of this is up to you).

Group 1: Historical Background 462-465
Group 2: How does literature shape or reflect society? 466-469
Group 3: What is the relationship between literature and place? 470-471
Group 4: What makes American literature American? 472-473

I will give you some time to work on that, and then we will begin the presentations!

Friday, January 31, 2014

Day 108!

Friday!

We get to start a new unit of literature today! (Can I get a "whoop whoop"?!) It's time to move on to the Civil War.

Instead of me standing in front of you chatting it up about how interesting this time period was, I thought we would take a different route for our background information this time!

You will randomly select groups and will be assigned a set of pages to read from the book. The section that we will be reading focuses on the background information and the connection to the essential questions.

As a group, you will be in charge of teaching the rest of the class about your section. After you read, you will need to collaborate and make a presentation to show the class (get creative: use iMovie, Prezi, Layar, etc.). Your presentation should highlight and summarize the important information in your section. You should also prepare a notes documents for your classmates (the format of this is up to you).

Group 1: Historical Background 462-465
Group 2: How does literature shape or reflect society? 466-469
Group 3: What is the relationship between literature and place? 470-471
Group 4: What makes American literature American? 472-473