Tuesday, May 26, 2009

May 25, 2009 -- May 29, 2009

Monday

Memorial Day -- School Closed

Tuesday

Go over the final assessment requirements. The open-ended questions are due on Friday. Read Act IV of the The Crucible by parts.

Wednesday

Read Act IV by parts to the end and discuss each character's role in the tragedy.

Thursday

Watch Act IV of The Crucible on DVD and work on the final assessment questions.

Friday

Final discussion of The Crucible.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

May 18, 2009 -- May 22, 2009

Monday

Quiz on Act II. Watch scenes 8-11 on The Crucible DVD.

Tuesday -- Thursday

Read Act III independently. Complete the writing assignment that includes a letter to Danforth from Hale. This Act III assignment is due on Friday.

Friday

World Peace Day Festival

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

May 11, 2009 -- May 15, 2009

Monday

Finish reading Act I in The Crucible and complete the Act I Questions by Wednesday.

Tuesday

Watch chapters 5-8 of The Crucible on DVD.

Wednesday -- Friday

Read Act II by parts in class. There will be a quiz on Act II on Monday.

Monday, May 4, 2009

May 4, 2009 -- May 8, 2009

Monday

Journal Activity: Can a person's life be ruined by false accusations? Describe a time when you were falsely accused of something. What happened? How did you feel? What might have happened if numerous people began to side with the accusers?

Tuesday

Discuss McCarthyism and the Red Scare of the 1940s and 50s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nublLQDGbU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWeZ5SKXvj8&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt2J2HHZIkk

Discuss "mass-hysteria" and the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA).

Wednesday and Thursday

Use the A&E video, The Salem Witch Trials, and the handout to introduce essential background information for the setting of The Crucible by Arthur Miller.

Friday

Watch Act I of The Crucible on DVD. Complete the guide questions by Monday.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

April 27, 2009 -- May 1, 2009

Monday


Discuss the chapter 9 assignment that was due today and my expectations for the essay test on Wednesday. You will get a list of essay questions today in order to prepare your thoughts in advance and mark your in-text support with post-its. Bring two discussion questions with fully developed responses to tomorrow's fish bowl discussion.

Tuesday

Fish Bowl discussion on The Great Gatsby -- Continue to prepare for tomorrow's in-class essay test at home.

Wednesday

Final assessment.

Thursday and Friday

Complete the tasks I assigned for you in Study Island.


Monday, April 20, 2009

April 20, 2009 -- April 24, 2009

Welcome Back!

Monday

Whole class discussion.

Tuesday

The Great Gatsby video, chapters 4-7. Describe true love according to Gatsby.

Wednesday

The Great Gatsby video, chapters 8-12. Discuss why people often go along with their friends even when they do not believe what they are doing is right. What might it take to force you to separate yourself from friends like that. Answer the chapter 7 questions by tomorrow.

Thursday

Review verbal irony. Find examples as we read chapter 8. Finish reading chapter 8 and answer the questions by tomorrow.

Friday

Discuss the theme of The Great Gatsby before and after we read chapter 9. Chapter 9 questions are due Monday.

Monday, March 30, 2009

March 30, 2009 -- April 3, 2009

Monday

Discuss motifs in chapter 2 of The Great Gatsby and the tension between social classes. The chapter 2 questions are due tomorrow.

Tuesday

Read chapter 3. Write a gossip column article for the Town Tattle about one of the characters. You will present it in class tomorrow.

Wednesday

Quiz on chapter 3 -- Town Tattle presentations.

Thursday

Critique the casting in The Great Gatsby movie.

Friday

Discuss theme and extended metaphors as we cooperatively read chapter 4. Finish reading chapter 4 for homework.

Monday, March 23, 2009

March 23, 2009 -- March 27, 2009

Monday

You can stay home today. The teachers have meetings all day!

Tuesday

Begin reading The Great Gatsby. Discuss how people define themselves and others according to groups.

Wednesday

Finish reading chapter 1 in The Great Gatsby. Discuss emerging symbols in the story.

Thursday

Read chapter 2 and complete the assigned questions by Monday.

Friday

Meet with your guidance counselor to plan your schedule for next year.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

March 16, 2009 -- March 20, 2009

Monday

Final day of students' Photo Story projects.

Tuesday and Wednesday

Watch the A&E Biography video about the writers of the "Lost Generation." Answer the questions on the handout. If you own earphones, please bring them to class on Thursday.

Thursday and Friday

Internet research activity on "The Roaring Twenties"



Monday, March 9, 2009

March 9, 2009 -- March 13, 2009

Monday

Finish adding background music to your PhotoStory project. Write your audio commentary. Start recording.

Tuesday

Continue recording commentary for each picture in the PhotoStory and arrange into a fluid piece.
Wednesday

In class assessment on A Raisin in the Sun

Thursday and Friday

Student PhotoStory presentations.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

March 2, 2009 -- March 6, 2009

Monday

Snow Day

Tuesday

Watch the end of Act II and the beginning of Act III of the A Raisin in the Sun DVD. Discuss Walter's misplaced trust and Beneatha's expectations of others. Finish reading Act III at home by Thursday.

Wednesday

Watch the rest of Act III. Discuss Walter's speech: " . . . there ain't nothing but taking in this world, and he who takes the most is smartest . . . " and whether Mama has just seen her harvest.

Thursday

Final Assessment.

Friday

I will check your pictures in the computer lab today while you add background music to your PhotoStory project.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

February 23, 2009 -- February 27, 2009

Monday and Tuesday



Begin Photo-Story project. You must have at least 8 representative pictures loaded into your project by Monday.



Wednesday



Read Act II, Scene 1 by tomorrow. Today you will receive a take-home quiz that is due on Tuesday, 3/3.



Thursday



Read Act II, Scene 2 by tomorrow.



Friday



Read the rest of Act II. Remember, I am checking your Photo-Story projects for a minimum of 8 representative pictures by Monday. The take home quiz for Act II is due on Tuesday.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

February 16, 2009 -- February 20, 2009

Monday and Tuesday

Presidents Day -- No School

Wednesday

Read the first half of Act I, Scene ii and complete a chart with your interpretations of the characters' dreams in A Raisin in the Sun.

Thursday

Read the remainder of Act I by parts and complete a writing assignment in which you thoroughly describe a dream of yours and the dream of one of the Youngers.

Friday

View the 1988 video performance of A Raisin in the Sun, chapters 3-5.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

February 9, 2009 -- February 13, 2009

Monday

Write a story using the new vocabulary words with Greek and Latin roots.

Tuesday

Read "I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman and share interpretations. Then read "I, Too, Sing America" and "Harlem" by Langston Hughes and discuss the contrasting views of the "American Dream."

Wednesday

Today you will go to the computer lab and begin your photo-essay project by gathering research on your topic, reading it, and loading pictures into a Photo-Story file.

Thursday

Watch Act I, scene i of A Raisin in the Sun on DVD and sign out a copy of the book. We will discuss character motivation. What does Walter Younger seem to want? What does Ruth want?

Friday

Today we will begin reading the play by parts.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

February 2, 2009 -- February 6, 2009

Monday

Go over the midterm exam.

Tuesday and Wednesday

In the computer lab, create a Power Point lesson on your assigned vocabulary words and save the completed presentation to our class GoogleDocs account.

Thursday

Vocabulary presentations and note-taking.

Friday

Finish vocabulary presentations and use notes complete the practice worksheet.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

January 19, 2009 -- January 23, 2009

Monday

No school for students in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In-service day for teachers.

Tuesday

Watch the final 37 minutes of To Kill a Mockingbird. Read chapters 26-27.

Wednesday

Last call for make up assignments. Read chapters 28-31.

Thursday

Final discussion for To Kill a Mockingbird. The last journal assignment is due tomorrow.
Midterm review.

Friday

To Kill a Mockingbird quiz.
Midterm review. Bring in your completed study guide for extra credit.

Monday, January 12, 2009

January 12, 2009 -- January 16, 2009

Monday

Read To Kill a Mockingbird chapter 20 in class and chapter 21 at home.

Tuesday

The class will reenact the episode of Tom Robinson's trial. Read chapter 22 for homework.

Wednesday

Today we will discuss Scout and Jem's growing social awareness, and we will watch the 1962 movie, To Kill a Mockingbird, from the scene in which Atticus goes out to visit Tom Robinson's wife and family to the scene in which Scout disperses the lynch mob out side the jail. For homework, you must read chapter 23.

Thursday

Today we will discuss why Dill decides he should be a clown when he grows up and Bob Ewell's threat to "get" Atticus. Then we will watch the movie from the beginning of Tom's trial through Tom's testimony. Read chapters 24 and 25 for homework.

Friday

Today we will discuss Integrity vs. Hypocrisy once again using Mrs. Gates lesson on Nazism as an example of her hypocrisy. Then we will watch the movie from Atticus's summation to the end. Read chapters 26-31 for homework.

Monday, January 5, 2009

January 5, 2009 -- January 9, 2009

Monday

Today we will recap chapters 12-15 and discuss the thematic topic of Integrity vs. Hypocrisy. As you complete tonight's journal response, examine the characters, such as Aunt Alexandra and Calpurnia, in terms of their integrity.

Tuesday

Read chapters 16 and 17. Judge Taylor gives the witnesses specific guidelines about the kinds of statements that are acceptable in his courtroom. How similar do you think these standards are to those a judge would have today? Assign parts to all students for Friday's dramatic reenactment of the courtroom episode.

Wednesday

Read chapters 18 and 19. Describe Atticus's internal conflict as he cross-examines Mayella Ewell's testimony.

Thursday

Read chapters 20 and 21 What do the children discover about Dolphus Raymond? Why does he characterize himself in this duplicitous way?

Friday

Act out the trial of Tom Robinson.