Getting into Speak: "Listen"

Today's classes moved from a lighter tone to a more serious one as we prepared to embark on our first Extended Text of the year: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.

To dip our collective toe into the waters of the upcoming book, we read (multiple times), annotated, and discussed the poem "Listen".

This poem was included in the very first pages of the older printings of the book (it is absent from the 10th Anniversary Edition -- but any copy of the book will be fine for reading in class.)

As explained in the book, this poem excluding the first and last stanzas, was compiled from lines written to Laurie Halse Anderson in thousands of letters, e-mails, and messages from her readers. This can be a jarring disclosure, but a powerful one.

If you haven't yet, get Speak. See the post below for resources and recommendations.

Autobiographical Narrative: Finalizing and Submitting

Today, all 9th graders logged into my classes at:

TurnItIn

and made their own student profiles. When they were done typing their narratives, they had to upload it to this online database, through their personal profile they'd just developed.

If you for any reason cannot join my class (you can only join YOUR OWN class period), see me to get the login code and we'll hammer out the problems.

For tonight, students were given a Part Time Indian Question Preparation sheet, on which to write questions (at the different levels of Bloom's Taxonomy) about the other summer reading selection, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

Need help on Bloom's Taxonomy? Check out the ENGL I guide to Bloom's, and the Bloom's Question stems. Lastly, here's an example of Bloom's Taxonomy applied to a popular fairy tale, so you can see it at work.

We'll use them in class tomorrow to hold a mini-fishbowl discussion about that book.

Don't forget to get Speak! (See post below!)

Typing & Finalizing: Day One

Students in class had time with the mobile lab to type up and edit their final drafts. In class, we covered proper MLA format for typing papers, but in case you've forgotten, or want to check it out:

Here is a great guide on MLA formatting for typed documents!

It's even got samples to look at, and explicit directions for changing Microsoft Word's default settings over to MLA. How cool is that?! (I know, it's not cool.)

We will have the lab again tomorrow to finish typing the papers, and for submitting them online.

I encourage students to bring in either a thumb-drive (USB), or to send themselves a copy of their writing by attaching it to an e-mail.

Or access a copy stored in a cloud-storage service, like Dropbox, or Google Drive.

Looking Forward: SPEAK

Don't forget! We're going to be starting Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, in September.

You can order it off the internet right here!

Or you can check for it at one of these fine Nashville booksellers:

Parnassus Books (Green Hills)

Bookman Bookwoman (Hillsboro Village)

Books A Million (West Nash)

McKay's Used Books And Media Emporium (Old Hickory Blvd.)


Behold! The powerful, beautiful, and heavily symbolic cover:

Autobiographical Narrative: The Rough Draft

Students in class had time to ask questions, clarify their responses, organize their thoughts, and write their first draft of their essay in class.

Tomorrow, and on Wednesday, we will be editing the rough drafts, and writing the final drafts (typing! With the new mobile labs!) Students are encouraged to bring a thumb drive to save their work. Though e-mailing to web account, or uploading it to cloud services such as Google Drive or Dropbox would also be fine.

Autobiographical Narrative: Getting Ready to Write

Today, students received the summer-reading inspired Narrative Essay Prompt.

We began by examining the prompt and defining the task at hand, with clarifications and examples.

The job for the weekend is to complete the Pre-Writing Guide, and bring it to class on Monday.

Monday we will begin the first draft of the essay.

Analyzing Conflict

We used the linked .pdf document to analyze a variety of conflicts that arise for Rainsford in "The Most Dangerous Game.

Conflict Document

The question of General Zaroff's sanity also came up, pertaining to his lack of a conscience, or any empathy for those he considered worth less than his personal enjoyment of hunting.

What's More Dangerous Than a Cape Buffalo?

Let's ask everyone's favorite ex-military gentleman-recluse, General Zaroff.

Mr. Tidyman, what's a 'cossack'?

Mr. Tidyman, what's a Cape Buffalo?

Mr. Tidyman, what's the real most dangerous game? (Do not click this. It's far above the 9th grade level. You probably can't handle it.)

Mr. Tidyman, is there a movie of this?

We read the beginning of this story aloud (with a special voice for the General) in class today.

HW: Finish reading "The Most Dangerous Game"

But Mr. Tidyman! I left my book at school! I don't know what to do!

Click this link for a web version of Connell's story.

Competition, Survival, and "The Most Dangerous Game"

Good Afternoon!

Today, students in class responded, in writing, to these two Journal Response prompts:

Complete both of the following sentence stems:

•To succeed in a fight for survival, a person needs to ____________ because ___________.

•Competition is important for our personal growth because_______________________.

After sharing responses, we reviewed the purpose, and variety, of Literary Conflict (link is a .pptx file).

Finally, we analyzed the different meanings of the word game: 1) A pleasant diversion, often in an imaginary or digital (virtual) world, and 2) wild mammals or birds hunted for food or sport.

And after reading about the author, Richard Connell, we quickly and reasonably inferred that this story, "The Most Dangerous Game", would most likely involve hunting dangerous animals, and not involve a PS3, XBOX360, PC, or other gaming platform.

We began reading the story in class, and will continue tomorrow, so...

HW: Bring textbooks to class tomorrow!

I am sad to report that we did not get our online textbook access set up today, due to a scheduling conflict with the mobile lab. Later this week, that will occur.

Ninth Grade Textbooks

Today, Freshman students received their English Textbooks. Mrs. Watkins scanned them out, and students labeled the inside cover of their books with their name, my name, and their class period.

Students were also invited (but not required) to share their Part-Time Portraits, from Friday. Some excellent pieces were shown.

Here's my Part-Time Portrait, in case you'd like to see an example of a finished product. Note: I used colored pens and markers to complete mine, and the use of color was not a requirement.

Students were asked to bring their textbooks to class tomorrow. If you were absent today, I still have a textbook to give you when you return. In class tomorrow, students will activate their online login information to access the textbook online.

Friday's Class

Classes were short today, due to the first Awards Assembly of the new year.

Here was today's Journal Response topic:

Consider the title of the novel:

•What does Junior mean when he calls himself a “part-time Indian”?

•Are you a “part-timer”? Are there two worlds between which you live your life?

Then, the document for the weekend was to illustrate these thoughts, in Junior's cartoonish style, in this worksheet.

Summer Retake Recovery Work & Information

• Students "Summer Reading Assessment" grades have been posted on gradespeed.
•  Since some students missed today's test, assessments can only be viewed during a student's study hall or during lunch by appointment only. Please see me for a hall pass. 
• When viewing your assessment grade please make sure you view the assignment's multiplier.
• Summer Reading Assessment retake information is posted in the link below. Handouts will not be available in class so please print if needed. 
• In order to be considered eligible for a test-retake opportunity, students must complete ALL recovery work.
•   See me for a yellow Re-Take Ticket, by Friday, 8/23/13. Re-Take tickets must be signed by a parent or guardian before the re-take is administered. 
• Recovery work is due no later than 3:00 pm next Friday, 8/23/13.
• Test make-ups will be offered next Wednesday, 8/28/13, at a time to be determined between YOU (the student) and me ( the instructor).

• If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me. 
• LINK to recovery Work (.pdf file)

Diagnostic Day 1 & Fishbowl Reflection

Today was day one (of what will be a two-day endeavor) of the Freshman Practice EOC Diagnostic Test. It is simply a diagnostic, and I informed students that a poor performance will not impact their grade.

I also gave out the Why We Can't Wait Fishbowl Reflection prompt. This page long, written (typing optional) reflection is due Thursday, 8/15. Students with questions or concerns are invited to come and see me, outside of class, tomorrow for clarification.

Grade-Level Meetings / Fishbowl Brainstorm

Today, Freshman went to the Auditorium during 2nd period for a Grade Level meeting with the Administration.

In class, students used their notes, and memories, from the Fishbowl discussion on Friday to work on a pre-writing technique called a Bubble Cluster, or Bubble Diagram (here is a .pdf example) This was the first part of the writing process that will culminate in the writing of the Fishbowl Personal Reflection later this week.

If you missed the Grade Level Meeting, stop in at the Office for a refresher.

Fishbowl Preparation!

Tomorrow's our big Fishbowl discussion activity!

For tonight, prepare 6 questions, 2 for each round, and come prepared tomorrow.

Report to class for attendance, then we will go to the gym.


Question form.pdf

Bloom's Taxonomy Practice

Don't forget that tonight's practice is to draft 6 Bloom's Taxonomy questions (one Q&A pair at each level of Bloom's) that focus on the Trayvon Martin article I gave out yesterday.

We'll need these for a Question-Evaluation activity tomorrow.

Blank Blooms Question Sheet

NYT Article: The Zimmerman Trial