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.