Break Out!

Almost everyone submitted the research work. So, that is done (for now). Next semester we will work on a longer research assignment where you will write a full research paper. When you return we will begin our study of Shakespeare. We're reading A Midsummer Night's Dream which is a fun, magical story.

Have a wonderful break!

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT DUE TOMORROW!!!

The entire research assignment is due tomorrow. The following requirements must be met in order to receive some or all of the assignment's 42 points:

1. All pieces of the assignment must be included--even if I have seen a piece before. The required pieces are:

Cream-colored checklist (copy on Edline)

3 printed articles, with completed credibility sheets and highlighting/underlining of important info.

Annotated Works Cited Page (CLEAN COPY--NO WRITING FROM ME) completed correctly. That is, if I made comments on the one you submitted on Monday, corrections must be made and a new copy should be submitted.

Research paper outline

2. The assignment is due tomorrow with NO EXCEPTIONS. If you are absent, the Annotated Works Cited and research paper outline MUST be emailed to me and a hard copy must be submitted after break. If I have not seen final copies of your work before break, I will not accept them after break.

**There is a great deal of information regarding this assignment on both Edline and the blog. If you have questions, please access these two resources.

This Week...

Today I checked Annotated Works Cited pages. Make any corrections indicated, and print out a new copy to turn in on Friday. The power point that I used to discuss the outline today is on Edline. The outline, along with all source information and Annotated Works Cited, is due on Friday.

TOMORROW IS AMNESTY DAY!! Come in between 9-10:15 to drop off any outstanding late work.

Your bib

The annotated bibliography is due on Monday. Review the previous blog post, as well as the handout you received in class (copy on Edline) for directions on completing the annotated bib. Also, you can review a sample document on Edline.

Type it up, print it out, and bring your bib to class on Monday!

So you finished the research...

Now it's time to create the Annotated Works Cited page. You received a handout (copy on Edline) about this assignment in class today, and I explained the process. A sample annotated works cited page can be found on Edline. Use your sources to create a page that looks just like the sample on Edline. Since many of you found your source information on SIRS, and since Maddie and Jordan asked me to, I am including below the format for an MLA citation of a SIRS source. When you site a source from SIRS, you must include your specific author, title, publication, date, and page numbers, but the SIRS stuff (at the end) is the same for all SIRS sources. Here's the information:

Author’s last name, first name. “Title of the article in quotation marks.” Title of the publication,
underlined date the article was published: page numbers of the article. SIRS Researcher.
SIRS Knowledge Source. Edina High School. 10 Dec. 2008 http://www.sirs.com.

**Don't forget to check Edline for the Sample Annotated Works Cited page!!

Act II, All My Sons

Today we finished the activity we started yesterday. I gave points to students who were on task and completed the work effectively. Here's what we did (in notebookson a page entitled: AMS Act II Activity):

1. Create a Multi-Flow map for the central conflict in Act II (like we did for Act I). Look back at your map for Act I—did some of the effects from Act I’s conflict cause the conflict in Act II?

2. Create a double-bubble map comparing and contrasting Chris and George. Supply textual support in the map’s frame for 4 of the descriptors.

RESEARCH IS DUE TOMORROW!! Staple your items (credibility sheet, highlighted/underlined source material, credibility sheet, highlighted/underlined source material, credibility sheet, highlighted/underlined source material) as you come into class tomorrow.

RESEARCH, RESEARCH

Due Wednesday, your research is (as Yoda would say). You should have 3 complete credibility checks as well as printouts of 3 sources with highlighting/underlining of important information.

On Wednesday we will discuss how to use your sources to create an annotated bibliography.

Act I, All My Sons

Today we finished the Act I Activity. Although it went in the notebook, I also gave participation points to students who finished it. So, if you were absent today, be sure to show me your notebook when you complete the activity.

All My Sons, Act I Assignment
Discuss the following questions and make the required thinking maps in your notebook. Make a notebook page for “Act I Discussion.” Feel free to use the back of this page and/or to move onto a second page, if necessary. You will have a total of four thinking maps – three multi-flow and one bubble.

1.What does you see as the primary conflict of the play? On a notebook page, make a multi-flow map analyzing the causes and effects of this conflict.
2. Which characters are involved in the primary conflict? How are they involved? What’s at stake for each character?
3. In addition to the primary conflict, each character faces other dilemmas. What are the dilemmas they face? Choose two of the following characters and analyze their individual conflicts multi-flow maps: Joe, Kate, Ann, Chris, neighbors.
4. Now think about what purpose each character serves in Miller’s play. Which characters drive the primary and secondary conflicts? Which characters serve to determine the setting? Which characters provide comic relief? With which characters does Miller want us to identify (feel sympathy for or understand) and why?
5. Which character is the central character to the play? How do you know? Make a bubble map describing the central character.

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT

Today we discussed the research assignment that you will be working on for the next 3 weeks. I showed you how to access SIRS today, so you should have the username and password. You can link to SIRS here. Don't forget that the SIRS front page has a "Leading Issues" section on the right side. If you click on the link to "More Issues," you will see the long, long list of issues that I showed you in class. Then, if you click on the Pro/Con tab, you will be able to see two sides of the issue with links to source information.

Sample Ethical Issue Research Questions (feel free to use):

Should the U.S. intervene in the affairs of Darfur?
Should schools regulate the facebook activity of students?
Should humans breed and kill animals for food?
Do businesses have a responsibility to reduce their carbon footprint?
Should parents monitor the internet use of their children?


The full research assignment is pasted below:

An important element of the 10th grade English experience at EHS is the study of research. Besides learning how to write a research paper, you will also learn how to conduct research. This introductory research assignment will introduce you to the basics of conducting and organizing research.

Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Determine and verify the credibility of sources.
2. Prepare a research paper outline.
3. Create an annotated works cited page.
4. Follow MLA format for outlines and works cited citations.

The following schedule will guide you through this introductory research assignment:

Wednesday, December 3
Introduction of ethical issues, research techniques, SIRS, verification of credibility
Assignment due 12/10:
□ Identify research topic (from choices)
□ Find and print three sources
□ Complete credibility sheet for each source
□ Annotate sources, highlighting/underlining information important in answering your research question.

Wednesday, December 10
3 annotated sources with credibility sheets due
Discuss annotated works cited.
Assignment due 12/15:
□ Annotated works cited—MUST BE TYPED!!

Monday, December 15
Typed Annotated Works Cited due
Discussion/model of research paper outline
Assignment due 12/19:
□ 3 annotated sources, each with credibility verification sheet
□ Appropriately formatted research paper outline—MUST BE TYPED!!
□ Appropriately formatted annotated works cited page—MUST BE TYPED!!

Have a Great Break!

We have been talking and reading about ethical dilemmas. When we return from break we will begin reading All My Sons, by Arthur Miller. The events in All My Sons all relate to a specific ethical decision made by one of the play's characters. So, we'll use the information and ideas we've gathered this week to help us understand and evaluate what we read.

Enjoy your days off. See you next Monday!

Ethical Dilemmas

Tomorrow we'll discuss a specific ethical dilemma. Also, we'll read a short story by Ursula LeGuin which explores the concepts we have been discussing in class.

One more day until Thanksgiving break!

Reflection Response

DUE MONDAY: On a page in your notebook, write ½ page to a page on the following. Be sure to use examples to illustrate your responses.

Does a person have a greater obligation to one’s family or to strangers? To one’s family or the nation?

The Reading Minute: Student Take-Over

When it is your turn to do the reading minute, you must:
Read to us for at least one minute from something about which you blogged.
Show us your blog(well, I'll do that)--talk about it if you wish.

Here is the reading minute schedule:

1st Hour

Friday, November 21: Charles L.
Monday, November 24: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­Ryan
Tuesday, November 25: Ben
Monday, December 1: ­­­­­­­­­Andrew
Tuesday, December 2: Austin
Wednesday, December 3: Grady
Thursday, December 4: Kjersten
Friday, December 5: Alex W.
Monday, December 8: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Elizabeth H.
Tuesday, December 9: Taylor
Wednesday, December 10: Molly
Thursday, December 11: Claire
Friday, December 12: Jordan
Monday, December 15: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Cori
Tuesday, December 16: Mindy
Wednesday, December 17: Haley
Thursday, December 18: Matt M
Friday, December 19: Christina
Monday, January 5: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Lorraine
Tuesday, January 6: Koal
Wednesday, January 7: Allie T.
Thursday, January 8: Abdisa
Friday, January 9: Joan
Monday, January 12: Kelly P.
Tuesday, January 13: Cloe
Wednesday, January 14: Charlie

3rd Hour
Friday, November 21: Sam B
Monday, November 24: Cole
Tuesday, November 25: Tanner
Monday, December 1: Sarah J
Tuesday, December 2: Madie
Wednesday, December 3: Lauren
Thursday, December 4: Spencer
Friday, December 5: Abby
Monday, December 8: Mitch
Tuesday, December 9: Olivia K.
Wednesday, December 10: Olivia L.
Thursday, December 11: Kiley
Friday, December 12: Isabelle
Monday, December 15: Robin
Tuesday, December 16: Gabi
Wednesday, December 17: Tenzin
Thursday, December 18: Swen
Friday, December 19: Angelica
Monday, January 5: Luke
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Tuesday, January 6: Jyotsna
Wednesday, January 7: Shelby
Thursday, January 8: Blake
Friday, January 9: Jenny
Monday, January 12: Hope

6th Hour
Friday, November 21: Zack
Monday, November 24: Andy
Tuesday, November 25: JuYeong
Monday, December 1: Elise
Tuesday, December 2: Gretchen
Wednesday, December 3: Sasha
Thursday, December 4: Suzie
Friday, December 5: Chevon
Monday, December 8: Ariana
Tuesday, December 9: Rachel
Wednesday, December 10: Grace
Thursday, December 11: Claire
Friday, December 12: Natalie
Monday, December 15: Emily
Tuesday, December 16: Tenzin
Wednesday, December 17: Will
Thursday, December 18: Emma
Friday, December 19: Rob
Monday, January 5: ­­­­­­­­­­­Max
Tuesday, January 6: Sara
Wednesday, January 7: Alison
Thursday, January 8: Katie
Friday, January 9: Stefon
Monday, January 12: Emmett
Tuesday, January 13: Rico
Wednesday, January 14: Mikayla
Thursday, January 15: Holly

The Man of Many Sorrows

We finished O Brother. Tomorrow we'll talk about it before we jump into a discussion of morals and ethics. This discussion of morals and ethics will lead us into our reading of All My Sons, a play by Arthur Miller.

Only 4 more days until Thanksgiving break!!

O, Brother

Today we began watching our Odyssey film text, O, Brother Where Art Thou. Students are completing a critical viewing guide during the film. It is a great companion to the epic poem.

The Final, Final

Your final Odyssey Essay is due on Monday. Here's what you need:

Complete, final draft including:
MLA heading
MLA pagination
Thematic title
Introduction including thesis w/ preview of three main points
3 body paragraphs, 2 PIEs in each
Conclusion which ends with same idea discussed in essay’s opening
Works Cited citation at bottom of final page

You also need:
Peer-evaluation sheet from Friday
Rough draft and paragraphs completed each day this week, (11/11-11/14).
Yellow checklist (on Edline if you've lost your copy)

The Whole Ball o' Wax

A COMPLETE rough draft is due tomorrow. That means:
an MLA heading, page numbers, a title, introduction, 3 body paragraphs, conclusion, and works cited entry.

As always, the rough draft must be typed.

BTW, the power point that I used all week as we discussed the essay is on Edline.

Body Paragraph #2

Complete your 2nd body paragraph for tomorrow. Work on choosing appropriate textual evidence and integrating in seamlessly in to your text.

Reminder--it would be a great idea to also go back and revise your introductions and 1st body paragraphs.

Moving On...

We finished the introduction and created thesis statements. Now it's time to create the first body paragraph. Transition from the introduction, and follow the paragraph outline provided today in class. Don't forget to include two PIES in your paragraph!

Also, a blog post (#2) is due by tomorrow a.m.

Introducing a Hero (or not)

Tonight your job is to work on prewriting for your essay on whether or not Odysseus is a hero. Your typed introduction--including thesis statement--is due tomorrow. Your introduction should include:

An attention-getter that makes a world-to-text connection (discuss one of the heroes that you wrote about for the hero assignment)

Your definition of hero

An introduction of The Odyssey and Odysseus

A clear, concise thesis statement that includes a subject, an opinion, and a preview of main points

Good luck!

What is a hero?

Today we did some online investigation to better answer that question. Only 3 people turned in their completed Hero Assignment from today (Molly from 1st hour, Swen from 3rd hour, and Rachel from 6th hour). So, for the rest of you, it must be completed by Monday.

You also received your 2nd quarter outside reading assignment today. Here it is (a word version is also on Edline):

Quarter 2 Outside Reading Assignment – 250 pages of text.
Our first quarter outside reading assignment is for you to read text, including novels, nonfiction books, periodicals, websites, weblogs, etc., totaling 250 (do your best to approximate the number of pages you read if you’re reading online texts). The texts you read should have literary merit and be age-appropriate.
Assignment Due Date
Blog #1 Sunday, November 9
Blog #2 Wed. November 12
Blog #3 Sun. November 16
Blog #4 Wed. November 19
Blog #5 Sun. November 23
Blog #6 Wed. December 3
Blog #7 Sun. December 7
Blog #8 Wed. December 10
Blog #9 Sun. December 14
Blog #10 Wednesday, December 17
Blogs #11 & #12 Posted by Sunday, January 4
Blog #13 Wed. January 7
Blog #14 Sun. January 11
Blog #15 Wed. January 14

The Blogging
You must post TWICE a week (by Wednesday and by Sunday). I've explained below what should go in the post. Wednesday posts—11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17, 1/7, 1/14—are due before school; Sunday posts—11/9, 11/16, 11/23, 12/7, 12/14, ¼, 1/11—are due by 11:59pm (i.e. before bedtime).

Free Response
A thoughtful response to the book of approximately 150 words. You must cite the selection, author, and page you're referring to. Some possible ways to respond to texts include: pick a quote and comment on its significance, make connections to the book (self, text, world, media), analyze the protagonist, pretend you're writing a letter—or blog response—to the author or main character, identify the thesis and supporting evidence (of nonfiction) and discuss the arguments from your perspective, etc. There are many, many ways you can do this.
You must attempt to use correct spelling and punctuation and capitalization

GRADING OF BLOG POSTS: Here's how the grading will work out of 75 points.
A -
You have all of the posts.You have always posted on time.
You post a thoughtful comment to a peer’s blog each week.
Your response was always highly thoughtful and reflective.
You used correct mechanics almost all of the time.

B -
You have all of the posts.You mostly posted on time.
You post a comment to a peer’s blog each week.Your responses were mostly thoughtful and reflective.
You used correct mechanics most of the time, but there are some glaring errors.

C -
You have 6-7 of the posts.You sometimes posted on time.
You post a comment to a peer’s blog most weeks.You responded to the book.
You have several errors in mechanics.

D -
You have about 4-5 posts total.You rarely posted on time.
You occasionally post comments to peers’ blogs.You somewhat responded to the book.
Your responses do not make an attempt to use proper mechanics.

F -
You have 0-3 posts.You did not do what was asked of you in the post.
You do not post comments on the blogs of your peers.
Your responses do not make an attempt to use proper mechanics.

**You will receive a separate grade for sharing your blog and leading the reading minute once during 2nd quarter.

The Odyssey Concludes

Odysseus has killed the suitors and reunited with his wife. As we wrap up our study of the epic, we will continue to explore Odysseus as a hero. We have begun a more indepth study of the text with the "test" that you began yesterday. Your homework tonight is to finish the "test." We will do more with the text as a whole tomorrow.

Our new president...

...wants you to read The Odyssey, Book 22 tonight. So, as you are watching the election coverage, read about Odysseus's slaughter of the suitors. Periods 1 & 3, you should also complete the sheet tracing the events in book 22.

VISION TESTING TOMORROW!! We'll work on prewriting for our essays while we are waiting outside the nurse's office.

The Odyssey Continues...

Tonight's reading homework: Book 20, lines 357-the end; Book 21.

We're getting into the themes and larger ideas of The Odyssey. This explication will lead to a final essay.

9 Blogs...

...and you're done (for the quarter). The outside reading handout refers to a final overall response. You can just cross that out--we don't have time to complete it AND those of you who have worked diligently on your blogs have done amazing work already.

Read Book 9 for tomorrow.

The End is Near...

Today we took an open book quiz on Book 4. I've graded the quizzes from 1st Hour--most students have done pretty well considering that 6th heard it was "extremely difficult." It's the end of the quarter, so we have big things coming up:

1. The Heroes in a Box assignment is due today.

2. Your 9th blog post was due before school today--if you're behind in blogging, just get the posts done. We will not do a "Final Overall Response" as the outside reading handout says--the 9 blogs are sufficient.

3. I am collecting notebooks tomorrow after we complete a Book 5 activity.

4. Read Book 5 for tomorrow.

5. TOMORROW IS AMNESTY DAY. YOU MAY COME IN BETWEEN 8:30 AND 10:00a.m. TO SUBMIT LATE WORK FOR HALF CREDIT. IT IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED AND I NEED TO TAKE WORK FROM YOU PERSONALLY, SO DON'T COME TOO CLOSE TO 10a.m. YOU MUST COME IN--EMAILING WORK OR SENDING WORK WITH SOMEONE ELSE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Box O' Heroes

Let's make the Heroes in a Box assignment due Monday--it takes quite a bit of time to sift through all that is available on the internet!

If you find video artifacts, please embed them in your blog rather than simply providing the link that will take the viewer to youtube. Here are the directions for embeding a video:

1. Go to blogger. Either start a New Post or click on the pencil icon below the post you already
started.
2. Open another window, and go to youtube. Find the video you want and click on it.
3. To the right of the video box, you will see two lines: URL and Embed. Highlight the entire
code in the Embed box and copy it (ctrl+c).
4. Return to your blog post. You are likely in Compose mode, so click on the Edit Html menu
tab above the post box.
5. Paste (ctrl+v) the youtube embed code into the Edit Html box on blogger.
6. When you publish your post, you should see the first frame of the video in a box with an
arrow in the middle. Your viewer should now be able to click on the arrow and watch the
video.
...several steps, but it is actually quite simple.

DON'T FORGET!!!!!
AMNESTY DAY IS NEXT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28TH. IT IS A STUDENT-CENTERED LATE-START DAY. YOU MAY TURN IN ANY OUTSTANDING LATE WORK ON AMNESTY DAY. TO DO SO, YOU MUST SHOW UP AND TURN IN WORK BEFORE THE LATE START--BETWEEN 8:30 AND 10:00 AM. YOU MUST SHOW UP IN PERSON...NOBODY MAY TURN IN WORK FOR YOU, AND I WILL NOT ACCEPT EMAILS WITH LATE WORK ATTACHED.

Also, don't forget to read Book 2 for tomorrow.

The Odyssey Begins...

After discussing the hero quest pattern, we dove into book 1 of The Odyssey. Your homework for tonight is to finish reading book 1. Don't fret, you will get the hang of the poetic language--it really is a great story.

Your bookmark provides the reading schedule for The Odyssey. I'm also pasting it below for your reference:

Oct. 23: Book 1
Oct. 24: Book 2
Oct. 27: Book 3, lines 1-287;
Book 4, lines 1-390 & 698 on
Oct. 28: Book 5
Oct. 29: Book 9
Oct. 30: Book 10
Oct. 31: Book 11
Nov. 3: Book 19
Nov. 4: Book 20, lines 357 on;
Book 21
Nov. 5: Book 22
Nov. 6: Book 23, lines 1-258

Prepare for the departure, and don't refuse the call to adventure!

Heroes in a Box

Your assignment--due Friday--is below:

When an anthropologist begins to study a group of people, he or she collects artifacts of the culture. Depending on the group being studied, these artifacts may include writing (including holy books), weapons, pictures, art, etc. As an introduction to our study of hero quests, you will take on the role of digital anthropologist, collecting and studying digital artifacts of heroes.

Assignment:
1. Begin by using an internet search provider to look for artifacts about heroes. Since heroes will lead you to thousands and thousands of findings, you may want to narrow your focus. Think about aspects of heroes that you may be interested in studying. Examples may include: female heroes, Canadian heroes, African-American heroes, Edina heroes, Hmong heroes, gay heroes, etc.

2. Find as many artifacts as you can about your topic. Types of artifacts may include: literature (poetry, short stories, excerpts from literary works), images (pictures, other digital images), videos, songs, quotes from famous people. Find as many artifacts as possible.

For images: try flickr.com--search for your topic.

Videos: Youtube--to embed a video in your blog, click on the Edit Html tab (above the text box of a new post). Go to the youtube vidow and copy the html code from the line that reads Embed (to the right of the video box, below the URL line).

Simply cut and paste literature or quotes.

3. Next, it’s time to make sense of these artifacts. Study each artifact you found (watch videos, study images, read literature, etc.). Identify patterns in what you find. You may want to consider creating a tree map to help classify the artifacts that you find.

4. Finally, organize your artifacts and create your final product on your blog. First, write about the classifications and overarching qualities of heroes that you discovered as you collected and studied artifacts. Your task here is to introduce us to the types of artifacts you collected. Then, paste all of your artifacts (photos, literature, quotes, video, etc.) into your blog, and underneath each one, discuss its significance (how it leads us to a better understanding of heroes) and why you chose it. What did you learn about heroes from your search and specifically, from this artifact? Then, end with a concluding paragraph entitled “Conclusion” in which you discuss your overall findings. For example, while studying sisters, a student discovered that there are two categories of sisters: sisters who are best friends, and sisters who are enemies.

Good Luck!

Blog Star!

Here's why you should check out the blog of Grady (click to the left to get to it):
1. He is totally up-to-date on his blogging.
2. He provides a link--in each blog post--to the article that he is discussing.
3. He writes thorough, thoughtful responses to what he is reading.
4. He added a quote from a Giovanni poem that we read, along with a photo of an omelette.

NICELY DONE, GRADY--WHAT A BLOG STAR!!

Locked In

Before tomorrow's class, please read the article entitled, "The Unspeakable Odyssey of the Motionless Boy." As you read, circle or underline at least five passages that are interesting, illuminating, or significant in some way.

Today you also received your writing assignment for Wednesday. Your message must be typed, double-spaced, and printed. Bring your paper copy of the typed message to class on Wednesday. You will not be required to read your message to the whole class.

Also...while you're here, post about whatever you're reading.

Fall...

...is definitely here, but I hope you don't feel like the speaker in the poem we read today! We took a poem rich in figurative language and made pretty good sense of it in about 35 minutes. Tomorrow we may work on another poem. Then, we'll begin our next text: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

You should be reviewing poetry vocabulary and working on outside reading/blogging.

The Poet Who

Your Cisneros-like poems are due tomorrow. Again, steps to completing the poem are as follows:

1. Think of a person you have only in your memory.
2. Brainstorm a list of concrete objects that remind you of the person.
3. Use the list to create a poem. Imitate Cisneros's "Abuelito Who". That is, USE METAPHOR to compare the objects in your list to the person about whom you are writing.
4. Give your poem a title: "________ Who"

I hope you're reading this because you are working on your own blog!

SCREEEECH!

We're switching gears and moving into poetry; our discussion of this genre will help lead us into The Odyssey. Today you received vocabulary of poetry. The following assignment is due Monday:

Homework Assignment

Locate the words on the vocabulary list from the text and complete the following on index cards:
Write the poetic term on one side of the card. On the other side, do the following:
a. Find and write a dictionary definition of the word.
b. Create an example of the technique or create an image that represents the term.

literal
figurative
stanza
simile
metaphor
hyperbole
personification
onomatopoeia
imagery
rhyme scheme
alliteration
assonance
consonance
repetition
tone

Also, finish the imitation poem you began in class...we'll share on Monday! Happy homecoming!

The King and QueenS have been crowned!

The excitement of coronation is over and it's time to think about English. The A Civil Action viewing guide and paragraph response are due tomorrow. Also, I will be collecting notebooks as well as copies of Animal Dreams. So, stick everything you've used in English class in your backpack, and bring it all to class tomorrow!

So Long, Schlichtmann!

NO SPECIFIC HOMEWORK TONIGHT!!

Tomorrow we will view the last five minutes of A Civil Action. Then, you will receive a writing assignment in which you will explore one of the film's themes. We'll also start our next book, Siddhartha. Homework for Friday will be to complete the A Civil Action study guide as well as the written response to the film.

Revisions, Revisions

I hope things went well today. The final draft of the Animal Dreams essay is due tomorrow. Please be prepared to submit the green rubric, the typed final draft, and the typed rough draft.

**NO EXCUSES WILL BE ACCEPTED TOMORROW.
**I WILL NOT PRINT FOR YOU.

Please work out your own computer issues. If your printer and/or computer is on the fritz, think about the following options: email your draft to a friend/relative/neighbor and ask him or her to please print it for you, type your paper on the computer of a friend/relative/neighbor, or get to school early tomorrow morning to print it (you may save it to--and access it from--a zip drive).

BTW, if you're reading this, I hope it is because you just finished posting to your own blog--your blog post is due before school tomorrow morning.

See you tomorrow!

1st Quarter Outside Reading Assignment

Today you received the outside reading/blogging assignment for first quarter. Here it is:

Quarter 1 Outside Reading Assignment – 250 pages of text.
Our first quarter outside reading assignment is for you to read text, including novels, nonfiction books, periodicals, websites, weblogs, etc., totaling 250 (do your best to approximate the number of pages you read if you’re reading online texts). The texts you read should have literary merit and be age-appropriate.

Blog #1: Sunday, September 21
Blog #2: Wed. October 1
Blog #3: Sun. October 5
Blog #4: Wed. October 8
Blog #5: Sun. October 12
Blog #6: Wed. October 15
Blog #7: Sun. October 19
Blog #8: Wed. October 22
Blog #9: Sun. October 26
Tues. October 28: Final Overall Response (more info. later)

The Blogging
You must post TWICE a week (by Wednesday and by Sunday). I've explained below what should go in the post. Wednesday posts—10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22—are due before school; Sunday posts—10/21, 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26—are due by 11:59pm (i.e. before bedtime).

Free Response
A thoughtful response to the book of approximately 150 words. You must cite the selection, author, and page you're referring to. Some possible ways to respond to texts include: pick a quote and comment on its significance, make connections to the book (self, text, world, media), analyze the protagonist, pretend you're writing a letter—or blog response—to the author or main character, identify the thesis and supporting evidence (of nonfiction) and discuss the arguments from your perspective, etc. There are many, many ways you can do this.

You must attempt to use correct spelling and punctuation and capitalization

**You must also comment on one other blog per week!!

ESSAY DUE WEDNESDAY!

Today we shared our rough drafts with peers and talked about some MLA issues. Tomorrow we will return to A Civil Action and our viewing guides. For Wednesday, you should complete the final draft of the paper. You will need to submit your green rubric, your final draft, and a rough draft. Also, your next blog assignment must be posted on Wednesday before school.

Want a good grade in English?

Then bring in a complete, typed rough draft on Monday. Completing a full draft for Monday will allow you the time to work on things like word choice, sentence fluency, and grammar/mechanics before you turn in a final draft. Also, completing your rough draft in a timely manner will ensure that you have some time to talk to me about your paper.

If you have computer/printer issues this weekend, work to resolve them yourself. Head to the public library, email your draft to a friend, or get to school early Monday morning to take care of it. Good luck!

Symbolism in AD

Codi's journey to find herself is complete. We've analyzed both the causes and effects of her literal and figurative return to Grace. How is symbolism related to this journey? Your homework tonight is to define a symbol of your choice (peacocks, coyotes, the afghan, night, Hallie's letters, transportation, etc.) in the context of the novel. Do this with a circle map. You should have at least 4 quotes in the frame of your map. At the bottom of the page, write a complete sentence about what your symbol represents. For example: "In Animal Dreams, peacocks represent ___________________________________________________."

Don't forget to study vocab tonight!!

It's Going Around...

So I was home today with a sick little boy. In class, you looked at Codi's emotional return to Grace. Finish the novel tonight to see how it all wraps up.

We'll spend some time on vocab tomorrow--the vocab quiz is Wednesday.

Finding home...

may be easier than Codi thought. In the reading for today, she discovers that she is a descendant of the Gracela sisters. Hallie is still missing and it doesn't look good. The good news is that we're near the end of the book, where all of these situations will hopefully be resolved. Your job this weekend is to read pages 285-323.

Also, don't forget to complete the blog assignment before you go to bed on Sunday night. Scroll down to find the assignment--it is described in the post entitled, "Blog It Up!"

Have a good weekend.

The Scream...

of the teakettle probably expresses Homero's feelings about his daughter's disappearance. Yep, Hallie has been taken by the Contras. Where is she and what will Codi do without the person she referred to as a god? Tonight's reading may give us the answers...

Read pp. 253-284 for tomorrow!

Finding Self/Finding Home

Today we started thinking more analytically about Codi and how she is changing in the novel. Tomorrow we will discuss the writing that you completed today. Don't forget the blog assignment due Sunday!

BLOG IT UP!

It's time to begin blogging on a regular basis. Our trip to the computer lab on Tuesday will give you some time to solve any problems related to the creation of your blog. Also, you may use the time to work on completing your first major blog assignment--due Sunday, September 21st.

The following is a list of requirements for your first blog assignment:

1. Add a list of your favorite books (minimum 3) to the side bar of your blog.

2. Post a 150-word paragraph about something you've read recently (other than Animal Dreams). Begin by naming the title and author of the reading. Then, provide the thesis of the piece (just as you do for Reading Minute). Discuss how the author proved the thesis. Do you agree with the author's position? Did you like the piece?

3. Use your character bubble map and character tree map to write a 250-word paragraph, comparing two characters in Animal Dreams. Focus on specific adjectives that either describe both characters, or show the differences between characters. Provide specific evidence from the text to support your comparison.
**Extra credit if you create a double bubble map of the two characters and post it to your blog (minimum of 10 total adjectives)

4. Comment on the blogs of 10 classmates. These classmates should be in your hour of English 10, and should be students with whom you do not regularly interact.

Again, the above should be posted to your blog by Sunday, September 21st. Happy blogging!

Codi, Loyd, Homero, Hallie, Jack, Emelina, J.T...

Today we analyzed these characters using bubble maps. On Monday we'll present what we did, and hopefully gain a better understanding of the novel's characters. Prior to Monday, be sure to complete the vocabulary sheet--each word needs a dictionary definition as well as an original sentence. Also, you should be through page 170 in your reading.

Check out the burgeoning blogs of your classmates on the side bar! Have a great weekend.

Finding Self

Our A to Z taxonomies about finding self are excellent! Most importantly, we created some excellent thesis statements about how people find themselves.

Please find your way to page 142 by tomorrow. If you're behind in the reading, please put in the extra time tonight and over the weekend to get caught up.

Blog URLs are due tomorrow. Check out the blogs of some of my 1st hour Blog Stars--on the right side of the page.

Peacocks, bones, and pecan orchards...

all may be symbols in Animal Dreams. Today we worked on finding mention of our symbols in the text. Before class tomorrow you should have at least three details on your symbols map (don't forget page numbers!) Check your bookmark--or the schedule below--for the assigned reading. And work on setting up your own blog!

Life with Codi

Well, we are through the first 50 pages of the book! Today we added more detail to our literary elements tree map (character, setting, plot). Then, we set up a symbol tree map so we can track animals, bones, and colors in the book. The reading for tomorrow is pp. 51-78. Today's quiz is an indication of the level of comprehension expected as you read the book.

Future Hall of Famers...

Today we took a field trip to the EHS Hall of Fame. Who knew so many accomplished people could graduate from one high school! Your job tonight is to create your own hall of fame plaque. If you need time tomorrow to glue your picture and text onto your construction paper, you will be able to do so during the first 2-3 minutes of class. Don't forget the plaque requirements:
1. Must be written in 3rd person point of view
2. Must be written in past tense
3. Must contain at least 6 COMPLETE SENTENCES.
4. Your paragraph should contain ZERO grammar, mechanics, usage, or spelling errors.
5. MUST BE TYPED (honestly, do you think EHS would honor you with a handwritten
paragraph?)
6. Include a picture of yourself.
7. Make it pretty to look at—your classmates, as well as many future students, may view your
plaque!

Dream big!!

**3RD HOUR: I forgot to pass around the stack of construction paper. At the beginning of class tomorrow, you will be able to get a piece of paper and glue your picture and text to it. So, just bring in your picture and text--we'll get it put together during class.

Welcome to High School!

We survived the heat and humidity of yesterday, so it's time to get to work. Today in class we used an anticipation guide to talk through our ideas about high school. Then, we described ourselves in a bubble map. Tonight your job is to take one adjective from your bubble map and expand upon it in a paragraph. Use specific examples to explain how you exhibit the chosen characteristic. Your paragraph should be at least six sentences and MUST BE TYPED!

**If you have last minute computer issues and absolutely have no way of printing a hard copy of your paragraph, you may email it to me. This option should be used as a last resort, however. Do your best to work out any computer/printer issues that you may have.