Self-Evaluation/Reflection Pre-writing

Today we took some time to eat and discuss our upcoming self-evaluation/reflection letters. The questions to guide our conversation are here. Tomorrow we will type our self-evaluation reflection letters in the computer lab.

Chalk

Today's class was hijacked by a surprise Senior Recognition Night practice! Students who were not participating watched the film, Chalk, for examples of satire. Remember to bring your permission slip tomorrow!

Satire

Today we started our short unit on satire. We took some notes over satire and applied the concepts to a newspaper article and some short film clips. Students should copy these notes from someone in class and turn them in for points.

Postcards from Hell/Quiz

Today's assignment was to make a postcard from hell using crayons, colored pencils, markers, magazines, paint or whatever else you think to use. Please pick one specific location in hell (circle or bolgia) for your postcard.

We took a bit of a quiz over Dante's Inferno. If you were absent, plan on making this quiz up on Tuesday during Chief Time or Wednesday morning.

Letters from Hell

Today in class we finished our group presentations. Then we began to work on our Letter from Hell assignment. The assignment sheet is available on the shelf and is due Monday. We also watched some clips from two different film versions of The Inferno.

Inferno Group Work

Today in class we continued to work in our groups on the Inferno and presented to the class at the end of class. About half of the groups finished and the other half will finish at the beginning of class tomorrow.

Inferno, Cantos 5-7

Today in class we read through cantos five through seven and worked on our study guide questions over these cantos. Then we divided into eight groups, each assigned a special part of The Inferno. We will continue to work in these groups tomorrow. Plan on presenting your groups' section at the end of class tomorrow.

Dante's Inferno Cantos 1-4

Today's bellwork was to chart America's most sinful cities according to the seven deadly sins. This work cannot be made up. We read cantos 1-4 of Dante's Inferno as a class and answered questions from our study guide from it individually. Tomorrow we will focus on cantos 5-7 before breaking up for group reading.

Dante's Inferno Pre-Reading

Today we started with an activity that ranked the severity of several sins. We moved on to notes over Dante and the context of his work, The Inferno. Finally, we began reading the first canto and answered a few questions about it. Please make up the notes and the questions over canto 1.

Narrative Essay

Today we went to the computer lab to write and type our narrative essays. The assignment sheet can be found on the shelf. Tomorrow we'll begin Dante's Inferno.

Annotated House Plans

Today in class we did some pre-writing for our narrative essays that included drawing out a house plan of a place in which we spent time growing up. The assignment is available on the counter. We also spent some time discussing narration and took some notes. The notes are also available on the counter. Tomorrow we will begin to type our narrative essays in the lab.

Truth or Lie? Narratives

Today we finished up A Knight's Tale and turned in our lists of ideal and ironic characters/events from the film. Then we went over our test over Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales. Finally we wrote personal narratives (some of which were true, some false). We read a few of the narratives and tried to guess whether they were true or false. Absent students should write a narrative (i.e. tell a story) for at least a half page, but no more than a full page.

A Knight's Tale

Today we watched the film, A Knight's Tale, comparing ironic and ideal characters and events from the film. We'll finish up the remaining few minutes tomorrow and begin a short unit on narrative writing.

Beowulf/Canterbury Tales Test

Today we took the unit test over Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales. Afterwards we began to watch A Knight's Tale, which is based on The Knight's Tale from The Canterbury Tales. If you were not here for the test, plan to take it Tuesday during Chief Time or Wednesday morning. Have a good long weekend!

Invisible Children

Today the Invisible Children group held an assembly. Be ready for tomorrow's test over Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales.

Beowulf/Canterbury Tales Review

Today we finished up our work with The Wife of Bath's Tale. We also worked on the a review of the test over Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales. The test will be on Thursday and the review sheet will be due then. Copies of the review are available on the counter. Please remember to bring writing to submit to Think magazine tomorrow.

The Wife of Bath's Tale

Today in class we reviewed The Pardoner's Tale and turned in the notes associated with it. Then we moved on to The Wife of Bath's Tale. Students should read the tale from the book and answer these questions that go along with it. Our test over Beowulf and the Canterbury Tales will be on Thursday of this week. Don't forget to turn in a submission for Think Magazine on Wednesday.

The Pardoner's Tale

Yesterday we did an activity characterizing the many figures from the prologue to The Canterbury Tales. That and the bellwork should be made up and can both be found on the counter.

Today in class we read The Pardoner's Tale from The Canterbury Tales. The a copy of notes should be filled out with it as comprehension questions. Both assignments should be made up and can be found on the counter.

Have a great weekend!

The Canterbury Tales Prologue

Today's bellwork on Middle English is available on the counter. We read the rest of the prologue to The Canterbury Tales, filling out the graphic organizer for the character as we read.

The Canterbury Tales Prologue

Today's bellwork was grammar work on a Geoffrey Chaucer bio. It is available on the counter. We read through line 318 of the prologue in The Canterbury Tales.

The Canterbury Tales

On Friday we typed our This I Believe essays in the computer lab. Today we read some of our classmates' papers and began pre-reading for The Canterbury Tales. A graphic organizer for the characters from the prologue is available on the counter. Students should read the first 100 lines of The Canterbury Tales for tomorrow.

This I Believe Essays

Yesterday's bellwork is available on the counter. We watched a short documentary about the desire for fame in America. We discussed and wrote over some related prompts. If you were absent, the bellwork should be made up.

Today in class we worked on pre-writing for our "This I Believe" personal essays. For more information check this site. Students should chose two of the prompts (from the sheet available on the counter) and paragraph responding to each of the prompts. Tomorrow we will write a short essay describing a belief that drives our lives.

Hero Tribute Presentations

Today we finished our Hero Tribute Presentations and had some time for freereading at the end of class.

Hero Tribute Presentations

Today we presented our Hero Tribute Projects in class. Audience members took notes and provided feedback on classmates' presentations.

Hero Tribute Project

Yesterday and today were spent in the library, working on our Hero Tribute Projects. The project will be presented and turned in on Monday. Have a great weekend!

Hero Tribute Project

Today we began working on our Hero Tribute Projects in the computer lab. The instructions are available on the counter in our classroom. We will continue to work on the project tomorrow.

Beowulf

Today we finished watching the film and went to the lab to begin typing our papers analyzing the film and text. The guide is here. Tomorrow we will have a few minutes to finish our papers.

Beowulf

Hope you all had a great spring break! Today we began to watch the film, Beowulf, in anticipation of comparing/contrasting the film version with the text. We'll finish it tomorrow.

Beowulf

Today we read from Beowulf and worked on our reading guides that go along with it. The reading guide is available on the counter.

Beowulf Characterization

Ms. Cox taught today on Beowulf and its main characters. Be sure to fill out the graphic organizer that is available on the counter and read through Beowulf's encounter with Grendel.

Beowulf and the Mead Hall

For today's bellwork we took a look at the opening lines of Beowulf in the original Old English. We read about the ancient mead halls and answered some questions about the reading. Finally, we read from pages 38-41 of Beowulf from our textbooks. Please make up the reading and answer the Mead Hall questions from the reading. Both are available on the counter.

Beowulf

Today we started class with this bellwork. We then spent some time reading each other's reflective essays on education. We wrote a half-page in reaction to our classmates thoughts and spent some time discussing them. We also talked about the characteristics of epic literature and epic heroes. A graphic organizer for epics and epic heroes is available on the counter.

Remember that the quarter ends Friday and all missing work must be turned by then!

Reflections on Education

Sorry for the delay in updates.

On Tuesday (3/9), we began class with a bellwork asking for a page of journaling in response to a couple of prompts about school and education. The bellwork is available on the counter. We then watched the program Stupid in America.

On Wednesday (3/10), we began with a bellwork that asked for responses to several True/False questions about school. The bellwork is available at the counter. We finished Stupid in America and discussed some issues with American education. Then we went over our Oedipus tests.

On Thursday (3/11), we made a timeline of our formal education. The assignment details can be found on the counter.

On Friday (3/12), we wrote an essay reflecting on an aspect of our educational experience. The assignment's details can be found on the counter.

Oedipus Test

Today we took the Oedipus Unit Test. We also turned in the Tragedy and Tragic Hero graphic organizer and the Oedipus Study Guide. If you missed the test today, plan on taking it during Chief Time tomorrow. Stop by my classroom before Chief Time if you need me to write you a pass.

Oedipus Study Guides

I was absent today, but you should have gotten your study guide for the Oedipus test. Plan on turning in your study guides, your tragic hero graphic organizer and your reading guide (if you have not already) on Monday. Monday we will test over Oedipus.

Finishing Oedipus

Today we finished reading Oedipus in class. We also had some time to work on our reading guides. Reading guides will be due tomorrow by the end of class. Tomorrow we will work on study guides and we'll take the test on Monday.

Oedipus and Catharsis

Today Ms. Cox taught about the idea of catharsis in tragedy. Extra copies of the bellwork are on the counter. We read to the exit of the messenger and his description of the murder of Laius. Tomorrow we'll continue our reading. Plan on testing on Friday, though we may have to move it to Monday.

Oedipus and the Reading Guide

Today we continued to read from Oedipus. We also began to fill out our Reading Guides, copies of which can be found on the counter. We read as a class to the middle of page 44, where Creon exits the scene.Publish Post

Oedipus as a Tragic Hero

We began the day by passing back papers and going over the poetry unit test. Then we began our reading of Oedipus the King. Students should be ready to read from page 39 on Tuesday. We also began taking notes on Oedipus as a tragic hero. The sheet for these notes is available on the counter near the closet.

The Theban Legend

Today we discussed and took notes over the Theban Legend. Absent students should pick up a copy of the cloze notes over the legend and get the notes from a student who was in class that day. The notes are worth points, so once you have them filled out, be sure to turn them into me.

Test/Oedipus Pre-Reading

Yesterday we took our poetry unit test. If you were absent yesterday, please plan on taking the test Friday and turning in your vocabulary and your study guide before taking the test.

Today we did some pre-reading for Oedipus. Our bellwork was a Probable Passage graphic organizer which is available on the counter. Then we took some notes over Greek theatre. Please make up the graphic organizer and copy the notes from a partner when you get a chance. Thanks!

Poetry Study Guide

Today we finished watching our classes photostories and spent some time completing this study guide. The study guide is due, along with the unit's vocabulary, at the beginning of class tomorrow. Tomorrow we will take our poetry unit test.

Photostory Presentations

Today in class we watched our classmates' photostories. There was no bellwork or work to be made up today.

Photostories, Day 2

Today we took the first twenty minutes of class as freereading time. Then we went to the lab to continue our work on our photostories. The photostories are due at the beginning on class on Monday when we will present them to the class. Have a great weekend!

Photostories, Day 1

Today we were back in the lab, this time to work on photostories. Those instructions should tell you everything you need to know, but you can also see an example here. We'll be working on this again tomorrow and it will be due Monday, when we'll present to the class.

Across the Universe Questions

Today we wrote/typed our responses to the questions for the film, Across the Universe. These were due at the end of class, but you may turn them in late tomorrow. A copy of the questions can be found here.

The Taming of the Shrew

Today we watched a performance of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, put on by students from Drury. We also turned in our poetry projects, so if you did not turn that in today, please get it to me as soon as possible and expect to lose points since it will be late.

Across the Universe, Part 1

For today's bellwork, we created a graphic organizer in preparation for the film we began to watch, Across the Universe. This graphic organizer is due on Friday before you leave.

For the film there are a series of writing prompts. Students should write for five pages double-spaced on any combination of these prompts. We'll have some time in the lab on Wednesday to type these up, but they will be due at the end of the block. So students may want to do some writing on these before Wednesday. There is also a sheet of allusions to take a look at.

Don't forget that your Poetry Project is due Tuesday at the beginning of class!

Wednesday 2/10

Today's bellwork was an anticipation of our work with Beatles songs. Afterwards we used text and images from magazines to interpret the imagery of some Beatles lyrics. This does not need to be made up.

Lyrics as Poetry Writing

Today's bellwork was to make a list of 5-10 songs that have a personal connection to you. They may remind you of a specific person or place or time in your life. Be sure to mention what that specific connection is as well.

Then we wrote a bit about our classmates lyrics that we printed off in the lab yesterday. Those prompts can be found here.

We spent the rest of the class period working on our Poetry Projects and listening to Mr. Beaver try to argue that Albert Pujols is better than George Brett. Your Poetry Projects are due on Tuesday (2/16) and don't plan on having any more class time to work on them, though it is a possibility.

Lyrics as Poetry

Today we started with bellwork over the metaphors and similes in the poem, Anger Sweetened, which is available on the counter near the closet. This should be made up.

Then we took a look at a handful of poems for which we identified patterns, literary techniques and the meaning. This can't really be made up but is practice for your Poetry Projects and the unit test.

Finally, we went to the lab where we took song lyrics that are meaningful to us and put them into a more visual text and printed them off. This needs to be made up. Be sure to look around the room at examples to help you here.

Starry Night Tankas

For bellwork today we observed some differences between van Gogh's Starry Night and another of his works, Starry Night Over the Rhone. Instructions for that can be found here.

Then we took a look and listen to Don MacLean's song, Vincent, which is about the life of van Gogh and his painting, Starry Night.

Finally, using our paintings as inspiration, we wrote two tanka poems. The instructions for this can be found here. After writing our tankas, we chose the best one, wrote it out on a notecard, attached the notecard to our painting and hung them on the wall.

If you were absent, please get this work to me as soon as possible. Thanks!

Starry Night Paintings

We started the day with a Vincent van Gogh biography to fill out for bellwork. Then we took a look at van Gogh's painting, Starry Night, and made some observations about it. The instruction for that can be found here. Afterward, we used our observations to create our own paintings, using Starry Night as inspiration. Don't worry about making up the painting, but make sure you get the bellwork and observations to me.

Metaphor

Today's bellwork asked students to take a look at a fruit sitting at their table and write down twelve adjectives or descriptive phrases for the outside of the fruit and twelve adjectives/descriptive phrases for the inside of the fruit. Think about describing the fruit with many of the five senses.

After students have 24 adjectives/descriptive phrases, I asked them to pick the three best from both the outside and the inside (a total of six). Then students were asked to take those six and turn them into metaphors or similes. For example: The student wrote "feels rough" for their adjective/descriptive phrase. Then, for their metaphor, they might write, "The orange's peel feels rough as the gravel on a dusty country road."

Once finished with our metaphors, we went over some notes and a couple of poems, focusing on metaphors. This sheet is available on the counter near the closet.

I Meant to Tell You

Today was another short day due to the early release.

Our bellwork was to write a poem based on the poem, "I Meant to Tell You." That poem and the template for your own poem is available on the counter near the closet.

We also covered the Seven Deadly Sins of Poetry, which you should be familiar with for your test. A copy of this handout is also at the counter.

Imagery

Today we looked at imagery in poetry. Students should make up the "What Makes a Poem a Poem?" bellwork on the counter near the closet.

Then we went over the article on concrete imagery and looked at the Williams Carlos Williams poetry with that in mind. This is also available at the counter.

Finally we read Elizabeth Bishop's poem Fish and drew pictures of the fish that highlight certain images from the poem, for example the bloody gills, the wallpaper scales, etc.

Poetry Study Projects

Today we had a short day due to the snow. We spend it in the computer lab, getting poems for our Poetry Study Projects. The directions for the project can be found on the shelf near the closet, but for the time being, try to find five poems you enjoy to analyze for the project. The poems must be at least 14 lines long.

Slam Poetry

Today we completed the slam poetry bellwork, a copy of which can be found on the shelf near the closet. We also read a poem to the class from one of the poetry collections on the cart. We discussed William Carlos Williams thoughts on concrete imagery in poetry (a copy can be found on the shelf near the closet). Finally, we had freereading time for the last few minutes of class.

Oscar Brown, Jr.

In class today we looked at a few poems by Oscar Brown, Jr. in groups. We watched his performance of these poems as well, which can be found on YouTube.

Finally, from a bookcart from the library, we looked at some poetry collections and chose a poem to read/perform to the class. We'll perform the poem on Thursday.

Grandma Grace

For bellwork, we put together part of the sestina poem, Grandma Grace. This work cannot be made up, but a copy of the poem can be found on the shelf by the closet.

We went over the unit's learning objectives and terms. A copy of the objectives and terms can be found on the shelf by the closet as well. The terms will be due at the end of the unit.

Object Essay Final Drafts

Today we gave and received feedback on our object essay drafts with peer responses. (This cannot really be made up.) Then we went to the lab to type our object essay drafts.

Object Essay Drafts

Today we went over the expectations for our Object Essay. We will write an essay on the three objects they presented to the class this week. I'd like to focus on organization in this essay and I think a five-paragraph essay would be most appropriate. Don't feel like it has to be very long. I'm looking more for good thesis and topic statements to organize the paragraphs.

We spent some time working on drafts for the essay and reading from our free reading books.

I handed out reading logs (which can be found on the shelf near the closet) and some ideas for a book report over your free reading book (which can be found here).

Due Monday is a draft for the Object Essay. It does not need to be typed. We will type it in class on Monday.

Bookmatching

Today we went to the library and completed bookmatching activities. The first bookmatch sheet is to be completed before going the library and explores potential reading preferences. The second bookmatch sheet is to be completed after visiting the library and is used to analyze specific two books.

Extra bookmatch sheets are available on the counter next to the closet in our classroom.

Three Objects Presentation

For our bellwork, we listed our three objects for our presentations and provided an explanation for why these objects were significant to us.

Then we presented our three objects and took notes on eachother's presentations.

Syllabus

Here's a copy of the class syllabus:
Syllabus

For bellwork today we listed five expectations for this class and three questions we had about this class. Remember to write these in complete sentences please.

Remember to bring in a one page letter introducing yourself to me and three objects to introduce yourself to the class for tomorrow. Thanks!