Exam Review: Day 1

• 1st Period Common Words
• 2nd Period Common Words
• 3rd Period Common Words
• 6th Period Common Words
• 7th Period Common Words

Link to Typed Exam RVW Guide

STEAL 2.0: TKAM Remix

• Link to Project Explanation Sheet
• Link to STEAL Framework (Chart)
• Link to STEAL 2.0 Rubric

Example of Steal 1.0:

Example of Movie Poster STEAL 2.0

1.0 will go on the back of the big paper, and the 2.0 will go on the front.

I'll be giving groups the big paper on Monday, cause I have to go buy it this weekend.

"Courage" by Anne Sexton

Full text of "Courage" by Anne Sexton



Student Example of Good Annotations and Close Reading

Membean Session 5 Quiz

Students took their Membean Session 5 quiz today. After the conclusion of the quiz, students had the opportunity to pester me (and I them) about grades and missing assignments.

Of course, you may still come and pester me about such things. And I may pester you about them too.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday! Remember the Sordino family, and treasure your own.

TKAM Final Test

Today students took the final test over TKAM.


And that was all.

[ ]

TKAM RVW Materials

• Link to TKAM Jeopardy
• Link to Hypocrisy Handout
• Link to Trial Animal Comparisons
• Link to Atticus' Closing Argument
• Link to Logos Video
• Link to Ethos Video
• Link to Pathos Video
• Link to Rhetorical Appeals .pptx
• Link to Trial Prep .pptx (12-16)
• Link to Dill Close Reading 01
• Link to Dill Close Reading 02
• Link to TKAM Part 1 Review .pptx
• Link to Rosewood Questions
• Link to Rosewood Packet
• Link to Harper Lee Obituary
• Link to 'Scottsboro: An American Tragedy' Questions
• Link to TKAM Historical Background .pptx
• 
  

"Boys Will Be Boys, but Girls MUST Be Girls!" - Aunt Alexandra

As students returned from the Fall-Back daylight savings weekend, we focused on 2 items:

A 15-minute Membean Study Session

The most recent Membean (Block 5) ended Sunday (10/24-11/6)

The new block begins today (11/7-11/20)

Also, we used the following powerpoint to review the highlights of TKAM Ch.12-14, which was the reading HW over the weekend:

Link to Ch. 12-14 review .pptx

HW (due Weds):

• TKAM Ch. 15-16

On a completely unrelated note: I printed off a bunch of Lifetime Wellness Memes today. So, I'm basically out of color ink for my printer.

Shouts to Tia F. in 2nd for the Spiciest Meme. I won't post it here, as it's not my work and I don't have permission. But I did post it on the door of 3NW. #spicy

TKAM Part 1 Review Powerpoint

This is a link to today's Review Powerpoint:

Yes, it contains slides through Ch. 11

Which maybe we did not have time to address in class.

Shout out to the 28ish students who stayed for an extra hour and a half of TKAM this afternoon!

You guys rock!

Dressing For Success

For tomorrow's Career Fair Field trip, the Freshman dress code is Business Professional / Business Casual.

Here are some links to resources that explain this manner of outfit choices:

Guide #1

Guide #2

Guide #3

Remember, as a caution: Do not feel pressure to "choose" one of these exact outfits, as if these were menus. Instead, use the examples and guidelines to inform your choices as you get ready for the trip tomorrow.

Guest Lesson: Career Fair Prep!

...presented by the MLK Counseling Office Thanks, Ms. Houston!

This is a link to the Prezi that students used in class today!

A Town Called ROSEWOOD

Students' first order of business for today was to complete 15 minutes of Membean Studying in class. The link to log in is provided below:

Membean Login

Session: 10/10 - 10/23

Quiz 10/24

Continuing on our recent trend of studying historical and social contexts of TKAM, we studied another article of non-fiction: "A Town Called Rosewood" 

Link to Packet

And this is a link to the Reading Guide Questions that accompanied the packet.

FIELD TRIPS 😂😂🔥🔥🔥🙌🙌💀

Hear ye, hear ye!

There are 2 (two!) Field Trips coming up for the Freshmen! Here are links to digital copies of the Permission Slips, as well as a link to the Online Payment page for the R&J trip:

• Career Fair Permission Slip (free)

• TPAC Permission Slip ($11)
• Link to MLK Website for Online Payment
• Yes, I know it has Mrs. Syes name on it, but it's for all Freshmen. 

Due: (on or before) Fri, Oct. 21

Scottsboro Boys: Part 2

Today, students continued their study of The Scottsboro boys with a further historical video clip.

For those few classes in which we were unable to finish the last couple minutes of the documentary, here is a link to the YouTube playlist with the clips of the film:

YouTube: Scottsboro Film

And because this material is available online, I have no qualms about saying:

HW:

• Finish watching Scottsboro: An American Tragedy video clips
• Complete the American Tragedy question document.
• New Membean Session: 10/10-10/23
• 90 total minutes of study
• 6 different days of study

Scottsboro Boys: Part 1

In order to lay a strong historical foundation beneath our upcoming reading of TKAM, classes today observed a video clip from PBS' Scottsboro: An American Tragedy (2000).

While watching the film, students took notes on the Scottsboro: An American Tragedy Notes Sheet (.pdf)

The document does not need to be completed for HW. It should be brought back to class tomorrow to use while watching the 2nd part of the film clip.

TKAM Background Powerpoint

This is it. You are responsible for the notes.

TKAM Background

Friday FLEX Club Sign-Up

Link to Sign-Up Survey

or go to

https://goo.gl/forms/voDR0M0GGYytkqC53

Submission Window Closes

Thursday, Oct. 13

3 pm

Membean Quiz; Harper Lee Obituary

Students took at 50q Membean Quiz today.


Also, students read this article about Harper Lee's life, and death.

This is the Reading Guide with 11 questions that students were to fill out, as they read.

The completed reading guide gets taped into students' class composition notebooks.

MEMBEAN PAYMENT LINK

HERE IT IS, FOOLS


http://osp.osmsinc.com/Nashville/BVModules/ProductTemplates/BVC%202004%20Layout/Product.aspx?productid=AR242-344http://osp.osmsinc.com/Nashville/BVModules/ProductTemplates/BVC%202004%20Layout/Product.aspx?productid=AR242-344

Theme Paragraph: Peer Review Day

Today, students peer-reviewed their Theme Paragraphs in class.


This is a link to the Peer Review document we used.

Tomorrow: Writing Workshop will be held in 3NW, after school, from 3:15-4:15p.
Students are invited (but not required) to come by for additional help and feedback with their Theme Paragraphs.

Exam Study Guide

The Exam in this class will be over the works we read this semester. Since we finished R&J most recently, most of the test will focus on this (About half). The approximate other half of the test will focus on Ancient Greece: Mythology and The Odyssey.

This is a link to a review document with more details.

Update: If you've already handed in your textbook, and want to review:

THIS

is a link to the online textbook.

1. Click link above
2. Click "Sign In"
3. Username: "Freshman Student"
4. Password: "spring2016"

Hint: R+J is in Unit 5. Odyssey is in Unit 6.


Update #2:

This is a link to Edith Hamilton's Mythology.

R&J Project Document

R&J Project Document

Update:

• 1st Period Sign-Up Spreadsheet
• 2nd Period Sign-Up Spreadsheet
• 3rd Period Sign-Up Spreadsheet
• 4th Period Sign-Up Spreadsheet
• 6th Period Sign-Up Spreadsheet

Project Rubric

Q3 Test Study Guide

This is a link to the study guide I put up on the projector screen in class today.

ODY RVW Part 2

Today, students reviewed Part 2 of The Odyssey. I had a handy powerpoint that I used in class to spur things along, and illustrate particular stories. No, I'm not going to post it here. Please review your textbook, not my powerpoint, to prepare for tomorrow's quiz.

As a special and rare treat, I also shared with my classes the scene from the 1997 film, The Odyssey, in which "the crusty old beggar" passes Penelope's archery contest, and transforms into his true form before the dazzled crowd of suitors.

Just so you know, curricular movies are not some kind of mystical secret jealously guarded by the English Teacher cabal. You just type "The Odyssey" into the YouTube search bar. Watch it whenever you want, I don't care. But don't get mad when I won't show it in class. It's right there waiting for you.

HW:

• Study for ODY Part 2 Quiz tomorrow.
• Also, we'll take a Membean quiz, if I can track down a mobile lab. I owe you one that got pushed because of TNReady.

Ending ODY Part 1

Students had a small window in which to review for the Odyssey Part 1 Quiz, either by conversing with each other, or asking me questions.

Then, students completed the ODY Part 1 Quiz (it included items about plot, lessons of the stories, and details concerning Epic Poetry terms.)

With the remaining time in class, the students and I began reading Part 2: The Return of Odysseus, which begins on pg. 1090.

HW:

• Continue reading Part 2, up to page 1103 (stop @ "The Challenge")
• Oh, do a session of Membean, while you're at it.

ODY Part 1: RVW

Today was a glorious day! Or, at least glorious in the regard that just about all of my students were in class, and not taking one TNReady Test or another.

So, in order to review the major portions of The Odyssey Part 1, we flew through a pretty snazzy Powerpoint file I made a couple years ago.

I'm not uploading it in this post. If you saw it in class, good for you. If not, you're fine. You can review from your textbook like everyone else.

Review for what? Review for your Part 1 Quiz on Monday.

HW:

• ODY Part 1 Quiz Monday.
• Do a Membean.

TNReady English Test

Due to the sitting of the TNReady Test for English I, I did not see any of my morning students in any kind of significant, English-class way. The test lasted from 8ish to 11:45ish.

Students, please remember: at this point I am prohibited from discussing the test items with you, just as you are prohibited from discussing the test items with each other.

HW:

• Check the ODY reading calendar I sent out and make sure you're where you need to be.

Odyssey Reading Schedule

Worried about missing English class due to TNReady?
Nervous about what chapter of The Odyssey you're supposed to be on?

Fear Not!

Mrs. Syes and I have drawn up a calendar for all the Odyssey assignments:

Link to the Word Doc Reading Calendar

Link to the PDF Reading Calendar

HW:

• Well, see the above document, for one.
• Get a great night's sleep! Have a lil' something for breakfast on your way in tomorrow! Because Thursday, 3/3, is the English I TNReady Test! See you in the Auditorium!

Original Myth Signups

This is the document that keeps track of who has signed up for what.

Shut Your Complaints

A student in 3rd period complained that the Invocation of the Muse is "hard." This poem is thousands of years old, and he complained about a modern English translation. As a courtesy to Jalen, I won't mention his name here.
Complaints? Check this out. It's the original Greek text. And I'm not making you read this version.
So...shhh. Be glad, and read.

Shout out to Ms. Howell, my Latin colleague, for hooking me up with this classic text.

SING IN ME, MUSE!

Ohhhhhhh YES. It's time to INVOKE THAT MUSE! And begin...

The Odyssey

"...the story of that man skilled in all ways of contending..."

Before we dove into a couple of juicy tidbits that the student edition of the text cuts out, all Freshmen received a copy of:

Notes on Epic Poetry

This link takes you to the un-annotated version. Check with a classmate to see the notes we added to it in class. Long story short, The Odyssey is an epic poem, and we can find evidence of every one of those notes our text. 

Today's focal points (both are in the Notes sheet):

• Invocation of the Muse
• If you're going to recite an epic poem, yeah, you better pray to a Muse to help you get through it in one piece. The invocation, remember isn't Odysseus himself, it's Homer, or the Narrator, asking for diving assistance delivering a great story.
• in medias res (thanks, Ross and Nandita in 6th, for correcting my butchered Latin punctuation)
• The Odyssey starts in the middle of the story, then goes back to tell you about the first stuff through the magic of FLASHBACK.
• In fact, in the student text, Odysseus is one boat ride away from home. He's been gone from his island of Ithaka for (10 Trojan War Years+9.5 years trying to sail home).
• But King Alcinous asks him, "Dude, where've you been? What've you seen, and done?" and that begins a multi-chapter flashback in which Odysseus recounts his adventures.

 HW: 

• Begin reading the the next passage: The Cyclops. It's long, you have 2 days to read it
• Choose a topic for your Original Myth (Due Friday)
• Do a session of Membean. It won't kill you.

The Trojan War

First, we graded, and I collected, the Noun Clause HW from over the weekend. It was the 4th practice, and I do not feel bad about taking it up.

This was the document that the students received for organizing the major players, and their names, into the sides they fought for in the 10-year-long Trojan War.

HW:

• Read The Odyssey (in the turquoise Lit Book):
• Pages1040E-F (The pages on Homer, and Epic Poems)
• Also: pages 1045-1049, the very beginning of The Odyssey itself
• And this is a link to the annotation sheet for the Trojan War

Nothing Without Theseus!

You probably won't believe me if you weren't there to see it, but today's class was actually kind of fun. After a little Reading Quiz on Theseus, that is.

First, we decompressed this narcissistic little cartoon from the Feb. 29 issue of The New Yorker:

I must give credit where credit is due. Students understood this reference almost immediately, and a small handful even chuckled at the cheeky modern twist of Narcissus calling himself on a cell phone. Good job, kids.

AND THEN: Theseus!

Enjoy the Greek Subtitles!

This quick visual adaptation of the Myth of Theseus features a Minotaur, a puppet-dog narrative assistant (not even joking here), and the actor who played The Governor in The Walking Dead as our brave, promise-breaking hero Theseus.

Official Disclaimer:

I am not recommending that you watch The Walking Dead. I am not linking it here. And I am not discussing it in class.

It's just a neat piece of coincidental trivia. No more.

HW: Read Hercules. His annotations are his column on the Hero Chart.

"Beware, son, I got the stare of Medusa"

After a brief Reading Quiz on Perseus, students turned their attention towards Medusa, as a character.

Link to the Medusa Packet of Info

We answered the questions in class after looking at the shorter pieces about her.

HW:

• Read Theseus
• Annotations for him=complete his column on the Hero Chart

Extra information about Medusa that means nothing:

• The visage of Medusa is frequently used by the Versace clothing line (name-dropped by several popular rappers)
• Example: these ugly shoes:

Guess. Just guess how much money these ugly slippers cost.

Just take one wild swing.

Pandora; Intro to Heroes

Class today actually began with a political cartoon that contained a reference to Greek mythology:

The first guy's shirt says "Apple"

Students were invited to connect the visual representation to the myth of Pandora, which we read last week, as well as to the current event that is unfolding right now with regards to privacy and security. Many students impressed me by sharing familiarity with this news story, and developing opinions as to whether Apple should, or should not, comply with the government's request to unlock the iPhone in question.

Definition of "repressive"

Definition of "regime"

But before classes could break out into the peculiar brand of loud, half-baked debate that Freshmen seem to prefer, class pivoted back to Mythology. Specifically, to Heroes.

And who is more qualified to introduce Heroes than Bonnie Tyler herself??

Here is a link to the Identifying a Hero notes.

And here is a link to the 4-Column organizer chart for the Heroes we'll be reading this week.

Students also completed a small reading quiz on the Jason & The Argonauts HW from over the weekend.

HW: Read Perseus (yes, that Perseus. The one that connects to Percy Jackson) and complete his column on the Hero Chart linked above.

Don't forget: Membean is in session! This window closes Sunday, 2/28! Click here to log in and do a session!

Myth Quiz: Ch. 1-5

Students took their quiz today over chapters 1-5 (including Cupid & Psyche). If you weren't here today, come and see me to set up a time to make up the assessment.

HW:

• Read "The Quest of the Golden Fleece" over the weekend
• This is a link to the Study Guide (annotations) for this chapter.

Mythology Review Materials

Here is a link to the Powerpoint from class today:

And just in case you don't have Powerpoint, here's a .pdf file of the slides.

And furthermore...below you will find all of the Study Guides I gave out for Chapters 1-4.

No, I did not give a list of questions for Ch. 5: Cupid and Psyche.

• Chapter 1 Study Guide
• Chapter 2 Study Guide
• Chapter 3 Study Guide
• Chapter 4 Study Guide

Oh! Don't forget!

Membean Session 11 is ON right now! 2/15-2/28!

Get a session! Here's a link to the login!

PS:

Question of the Day: "How they gon' have all that hair, that big ol' beard, an' they ain't have no armpit hair?"
Thanks, 'Leigha in 4th period, for bringing this Greek conspiracy to light.

Bread and...Grape...Juice...

Today's classes focused squarely on The Two Great Gods of the Earth:

Demeter!

Three Cheers for the healthy harvest!

Bless this grain, and let's bake some bread to break!

Sweet Persephone, I miss you all winter long!

and, erm...

Dionysus...

Sweet vines, man.

I always thought dolphins were cool.

How about some, uh, grape juice?

Alright, alright, I know, it wasn't grape juice that he was the god of, it was wine.  It's a perennial headache to try to teach this god to immature Freshmen. So the point of studying him was not to simply praise wine all the live-long day, but to impress upon the students the dictum:

Moderation in all things.

Even the Greeks knew that it's not good to have too much of a good thing.

This is a link to the Powerpoint from class today.

And this is the same presentation, but as a .pdf.

HW:

• Read MYTH Ch. 3: How The World and Mankind Were Created
• Here is the Ch. 3 Study Guide
• Complete Adv. Clause Practice 01
• Valentine's Day Reminder: Membean Ends Sunday, 2/14. Get some sessions!

Gods and Grammar

This is a link to the Adjective Clause practice, which was due today for a grade.

Also: the HW is for students to read Chapter 2 of Mythology: The Two Great Gods Of The Earth.
Aaaaaaannnnddd HERE is the study guide*. Answering the questions will count as Annotations.



*sorry for potato quality.

In-Class Op/Arg Draft

Link to the Key of Adj Clause Pract 3

(Checked, but not collected, today)

Clauses; Membean; Op/Arg Outline

First, we checked the Adj. Clause (#2) HW:

Then, we took a Membean Quiz

(See me to re-load your quiz if you missed today's class.)

Finally, students approached the last practice writing task that 

Link to the Opinion/Argument

Packet from Class

Regarding the deployment of the US Army.

The Phrase; Submitting Peer Reviews

The first thing students did today, upon their return to our frosty school building, was to take their first grammatical notes on our new unit: The Phrase.

Here is a link to the EOL Notes Sheet as a .docx

And here is a link to a .pdf of the same

The notes begin on page 144 of our purple Grammar Text.

After this, students and I capitalized on a leftover laptop lab. I enjoined students to finish, and submit, their TNReady Prompt 1 peer reviews.

Link to sign into Office 365

The guidelines for conducting a Peer Review are on a post below this one. But, to quickly overview:

• Your partner shares their draft with you (blue "Share+" button on Word Online)
• You provide feedback and tentative scoring in either, or both, of the following ways:
• Using the "Insert" tab, click "Comments". You can use the "+" to add comments that will appear in the margin.
• Click on "Edit Document". You can now type directly into your classmates' paper. If providing direct commentary in this manner, please use a new color of font. Or an entirely different font than the one the original author used.
• When you're done making suggestions and recommendations (the peer-editing job), YOU the peer-reviewer, Share+ YOUR CLASSMATE'S paper with YOUR COMMENTARY to ME.
• My address is: Jesse.Tidyman@mnps.org
• And if you don't know it by this point of the year, you're frankly beyond my help.

HW:

• Membean Quiz tomorrow
• Followed by an Approach to the TNReady Narrative Writing Prompt

TNR Practice: Peer Review

This is a link to the Peer Review checklist!

In-Class Writing Practice: Prompt 1: Info/EXP

Link to the Sample Passage

(click to read, right-click to download)

Link to Microsoft Office 365

(yourname@mnpsk12.org)

• Read the article.
• Respond, in writing, to Prompt 1, in a MS Word online document.

TNReady Writing: Rubric Analysis

Behold!

The Rubrics!

• Informative/Explanatory Writing 
• Argument Writing
• Narrative Writing

Also: this link is to the Rubric Analysis Charts from Class.

A Rebuttal: "Against YA"

I found this while looking further into the "Against YA" piece from class recently. Here, The Atlantic's Julie Beck writes her opposing opinion: that YA Lit does have value for adult readers.

"The Adult Lessons of YA Fiction"

Julie Beck

The Atlantic - 6/9/2014

Let me be super-clear: This article is NOT an assignment.

But it connects to class and has, I believe, some merit.

I merely offer it to you.

"Who does that woman think she is?"

A couple of activities took center stage in class today, but all in all, a pretty chill Monday.

First of all, I came around to check students' HW. As I warned my classes on Friday, completing the annotations and filling out the outline were due for a grade.

Following a tour of students' desks, I invited classes to respond to (i.e., "vent about") Ruth Graham's main idea. Many, many criticisms were shared. Some were better than others:

• I-Can't-Believe-How-Good-This-Criticism-Is: 4th period: "She says Twilight is trash, but apparently loved Tuck Everlasting. Don't both books feature a romance complicated by immortality? Jeez, what's up with this? Doesn't seem fair. She could have been more clear about what makes Tuck Everlasting so great."
• Excellent Criticism: MaKayla's (2nd p) unflinching and focused remarks concerning the 2012 survey Graham cited. Specifically, alternate ways to interpret the survey results ("books purchased does not necessarily mean books read", "that age demographic has jobs, so of course they're buying books!", "what if these people are buying these books for their kids, or young family members?")
• Not-Excellent Criticism: Aidan (4th p) deciding to look up the author on his phone, creeping thoroughly through her online presence, and roasting her mercilessly. Amusing, to be sure, but ultimately unacceptable in an actual written TNReady Essay response.

Then, I gave students their scores back on last year's TCAP Writing Assessment, individually. This took a minute or two to accomplish. Students should bring this back to class tomorrow, for an analysis of the TNReady rubrics, in which we will ask (and answer) the great question: What do my scores mean?

HW:

• Bring TCAP writing scores back to class tomorrow.
• Do your Membean.
• Get Mythology (scroll down for handy links)

"Put down that children's book, you old fart."

Today, the freshmen took a swing at reading, and responding, to an editorial from the Slate's website. At my insistence, they did so with specific regard to responding a TNready Informational/Explanatory writing prompt.

"Against YA" Document from Class.

The prompt is on the back.

We began reading and annotating the passage in class. Because we did not finish, students' HW is to finish the article for Monday.

HW:

• Finish reading and annotating the article.
• Complete the Outline on the back of the document.

General Reminders:

• Membean Session 8 is running NOW. It ends on Sunday, 1/17. Do your sessions!
• Obtain a copy of Edith Hamilton's Mythology.
• Link to Amazon.com
• Link to Parnassus Bookstore (Green Hills)
• Link to Bookman/Bookwoman (Hillsboro Village)
• Link to Books-A-Million (West Nashville)

Sharing Cloud Documents

This is a link to the Membean Login site.

We did a 15-minute practice session in class today.

Remember: Membean Session 8 ends on 1/17. 

This is a link

to the Office 365 Login page.

Today, we practiced:

• Logging in
• Creating a new Word Online document
• Saving this document
• Sharing this document (with me)

Because this is how we're going to share a lot of the written practiced we're going to do, as we prepare for the TNReady Part 1 test.

Semester 2: Overview

Not gonna lie, today's classes were pretty chill. After welcoming students back, and taking roll, I shared a general layout and several announcements about Freshman Year: Second Semester.

This is the .pptx I used to share information with my students.

Here it is as a .pdf file.

This is a link to Amazon.com,

from which one could order a copy of Mythology.

Get it by 1/22/16.

HW:

• Membean Practice in class tomorrow
• Membean Session 8 ends: 1/17
• Membean Quiz: 1/20

Question of the Day:

From 1st period:

"Mr. Tidyman, is there such a thing as American Mythology?"

Definition of "mythology".

Definition of "folklore".

Collection of Native American creation myths.



And also, this book, which I simply place here. I cannot recommend you read it, as I would consider it a cut above YA lit. Also, it is not in the recognized high school curricular literature canon. But here it is anyways. In fact, it's probably too grown up for you. Nevermind; don't read it. Forget I mentioned it. You couldn't handle it anyway.

Good question, Tre.