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.