All Boys, All Blogged: December 18, 2012

A Few Reminders:

1. We need to keep it extra quiet today.

2. Turn in your A Long Way Gone books.

3. Your final grades will be posted Thursday by noon.  No changes will be made after this time.  

4. You may pick up your presentation rubrics anytime after this morning.

All Boys, All Blogged: December 17, 2012

Focus: Presenting Our A Long Way Gone Projects on Violence and Healing

1. Warm-up:

 

 "A hero is a man who does what he can."

--Romain Rolland, Nobel Prize winner

 

2. Establish presentation order and get your rubrics ready

3. Present your projects!

HW: Bring your A Long Way Gone books to turn in tomorrow (or you will be issued a fine).  Your final is tomorrow (Tuesday) from 7:21-8:46.  

All Boys, All Blogged: December 14, 2012

Focus: Developing your final project for A Long Way Gone

1. Turn in content revisions

• Please remember to highlight all changes on your new draft.
• Staple your new draft to the old draft with the rubric and my comments.

2. A few presentation reminders:

• Take 3 minutes to reread the overview and peruse the entire rubric.
• Practice, practice, practice, using the same public speaking skills you displayed in your book talks.
• Show me your research as you go.

3. Work time, work time, work time!

HW: 
1. Finish your project and be ready to present this Monday.
2. Complete any make-up work (missed fishbowl blogs, grammar revisions, etc.) by Monday.

All Boys, All Blogged: December 13, 2012

Focus: Discussing the resolution (or lack thereof?) of A Long Way Gone

Announcement: If you are choosing to take the vocabulary test today, you may do so at the very beginning of class.

1. Warm-up: Watching an interview with Ishmael Beah

• What are your impressions of and reactions to this interview?

• Please write down thing Beah says in this interview that you find significant.

2. Final fishbowl discussion: Chapter 20-end of A Long Way Gone

HW: Essay content revisions due tomorrow; work on final project.

All Boys, All Blogged: 12/12/12

Focus: Researching your final presentation topic

1. Warm-up: Project Q&A and reminders

2. Collect grammar revisions

3. Work time, work time, work time

HW:
1. Finish A Long Way Gone for tomorrow's fishbowl discussion.
2. Study SAT Lists 1-9 for tomorrow's cumulative test IF YOU PLAN ON TAKING IT.  REMEMBER THAT THE TEST IS NOW OPTIONAL, AND YOU MAY TAKE IT THURSDAY OR FRIDAY.
3. Essay content revisions due Friday.
4. Any make-up work from the last 6 weeks is due Monday.

All Boys, All Blogged: December 11, 2012

Focus: Developing your projects for A Long Way Gone

1. Warm-up: Book talks!

2. Overview of the project rubric

3. Work time, work time, work time

HW:
1. Grammar revisions due TOMORROW.
2. Start studying for Thursday's vocabulary test over lists 1-9.
3. Finish reading and annotating A Long Way Gone for Thursday.
4. Essay content revisions due Friday.

All Boys, All Blogged: December 10, 2012

Announcement: Make-up book talks will take place Tuesday (as in tomorrow).

Focus: To what extent is family a part of a person's identity?

1. Memoir warm-up:

• Tell the story of a typical (or special) day with your family.  Try to include dialogue to reveal the nature of your relationships with your mom, dad, siblings, stepparents, etc.  Remember that you're trying to immerse the reader in a three-dimensional universe by using your five senses.  

• As you write, show the reader what roles your family members play in your life so that anyone could pick up this piece of memoir and have a vivid glimpse of your family's inner-workings.

• *An extra challenge for the brave and bold*: Try creating a metaphor for a member of your family that illustrates this person's role in your life.  Example: "My mother was a lighthouse, guiding us safely to shore when we started drifting away from each other."

2. Fishbowl discussion #6: A Long Way Gone, Chapters 18 and 19

HW: 
1. Essay grammar revisions due Wednesday.
2. Finish reading and annotating A Long Way Gone for this Thursday's final fishbowl discussion.
3. Start reviewing your vocabulary for this Thursday's cumulative test, which will cover all words from SAT Lists 1-9.
4. Essay content revisions due Friday (conference recommended).

All Boys, All Blogged: December 7, 2012

Focus: Wrapping up loose ends from the week: SAT vocabulary, presentations, and final projects

1. SAT List 9 vocabulary quiz

2. Time to start on Monday's A Long Way Gone reading (Chapters 18 and 19).

3. Book talks!

4. Project work time: Review the overview, finalize your choices and start on step 2.

HW: 
1. Read and annotate Chapters 18 and 19 in A Long Way Gone for Monday.
2. Hero's journey grammar revisions due Wednesday.  Click HERE for the format.
3. Hero's journey content revisions due Friday.  Remember to highlight all changes and staple the new draft to the original.

All Boys, All Blogged: December 6, 2012

Focus: Student-led discussion of healing and other topics in A Long Way Gone

1. Warm-up: Memoir quickwrite

15 minutes: Think of a time in which you were mentally or physically injured.  

Describe what happened, then describe your process of healing.  

2. Fishbowl discussion #5: A Long Way Gone, Chapters 15, 16 and 17

HW: Study for tomorrow's List 9 SAT vocabulary quiz; start working on your final project; bring your book and annotations to class tomorrow.

All Boys, All Blogged: December 5, 2012

PLC: Shortened Class

Focus: Augmenting your vocabulary; developing ideas for your final project

1. Kody's book talk

2. Distribute List 9 SAT vocabulary words; circle story time review (20 minutes)

3. Time to work on final projects; you must accomplish Step 1 by the end of class and start working on the next step.

HW: 
1. Prepare for tomorrow's fishbowl on Chapters 15, 16 and 17.
2. Start studying for Friday's SAT List 9 vocabulary quiz.
3. Make sure you have posted your blog on "Trained To Kill."

Response to "Trained To Kill"

Please finish reading the article "Trained To Kill."  Then, select one specific section and compose a 5-8 sentence response to this question.  Remember that a response is not a summary; instead, it is a reaction to, an analysis of, or a questioning of the author's assertions.  Your response can also connect the article to A Long Way Gone.

This response is due Wednesday, December 5.

As always, please read others' responses before posting you own, and feel free to comment on your peers' posts as well.

All Boys, All Blogged: December 4, 2012

Focus: Revising your essays and preparing for your final exam/project

1. Warm-up: Book talks!

2. Return early essays and explain revisions for grammar and content

• All students will complete grammar revisions.  Click HERE for directions and an example.  These are due Wednesday, Dec.12.
• If you received a 79% or lower, you must also revise for content.  
• It is highly recommended that you conference with me before you revise. 
• Please highlight all changes on your new draft.
• Staple your revised draft to the essay with my comments and the rubric.  Revisions that don't follow this policy will not be accepted.  
• These are due on the last day of class, Friday, Dec. 14.

3. Overview of your A Long Way Gone project, which will also be your final exam

4. Time to start working on your project

HW: 
1. Continue reading and annotating Chapters 15, 16, and 17 for Thursday (make sure you bring your book and annotations to class each day).
2. Bring your List 9 vocabulary to class tomorrow for review.
3. Start working on essay revisions.

All Boys, All Blogged: December 3, 2012

Focus: Examining how Ishmael becomes a child soldier in A Long Way Gone

1. Warm-up: Quick whip-around the room to recap Ishmael's journey thus far

2. Examining how teenagers are conditioned to be violent by starting to read "Trained to Kill."

• Mark which parts interest you (What do you agree or disagree with?  What made you think? What surprised you?).  Explain in the margins why you marked these passages.
• Mark any parts that could possibly connect to A Long Way Gone.  Explain in the margins how these parts connect to and shed light on A Long Way Gone.

3. Fishbowl #4: Chapters 11-14

HW: 
1. Finish reading and annotating today's article; by Wednesday, please type a 5-8 sentence response to one section of it on the blog (there will be a separate blog posted for this).  
2. Start on this week's reading assignment for A Long Way Gone; be sure to bring your annotations to class each day for random checks.
3. Start looking over List 9 SAT vocabulary words.

All Boys, All Blogged: November 30, 2012

Focus: Wrapping up this week's tasks: Vocabulary, reading, and memoir writing

1. Taking the list 8 SAT vocabulary quiz

2. Start on your weekend reading assignment for A Long Way Gone (and annotation checks)

3. Book talks!

4. Finishing your dialogues using description and the five senses

HW: Read and annotate Chapters 11, 12, 13 and 14 for Monday; prepare for Monday's fishbowl discussion.

All Boys, All Blogged: November 29, 2012

Focus: Student-led discussion of A Long Way Gone, Chapters 7-10

1. Warm-up: Tightening the reigns: A necessary overview of expectations and consequences in English 10


2. Fishbowl #3: Chapters 7-10

HW: Study for tomorrow's vocabulary quiz over List 8 SAT words; bring A Long Way Gone book to class tomorrow; prepare for book talks.

All Boys, All Blogged: November 28, 2012

Focus: Learning new vocabulary; revising your dialogues from yesterday

1. Warm-up: "What are you alluding to, police officer?" : SAT List 8 vocabulary review using dialogue

• First, create a "voice" for your character.  How would this character speak?  What kinds of verbal tics would he (or she) have?  What kinds of things would this character say?
• Imagine a situation in which your two characters would meet.
• Create a dialogue between these two characters using EIGHT of your List 8 vocabulary words.

2. Overview of the purpose of dialogue; revising yesterday's memoirs

• What inferences could a reader make about your personality based on this dialogue?
• What inferences could a reader make about your friend, parent, etc. from this dialogue?
• Where and how could you strengthen the voices in this dialogue?
• Add descriptions in between the pieces of dialogue to create the entire scene, thinking about:
• Setting
• Physical description of characters (clothes, hair, skin, posture, etc.)
• Gestures and movement
• Thoughts (what's NOT said out loud)

HW: Finish reading Chapters 7, 8, 9 and 10 by tomorrow, remembering your annotation focus; prepare for tomorrow's fishbowl discussion; study your vocabulary words for Friday's quiz.

All Boys, All Blogged: November 27, 2012

Focus: Telling your story

Please have out your annotations so that I may check Chapters 1-6.

1. Book talks!

2. Warm-up: 6-word memoir

3. Discussing Beah's first page and composing the first page of your memoir.  That's right!
   Click HERE for the rules of memoir club.

• What can we infer about the narrator from this little piece of dialogue?
• What can we infer about his high school friends?
• Why might the author start his memoir this way?

     Your task as a memoirist:

1. Start  a new folder in Google Drive and call it "Memoir."
2. Open a new document and call it "Opening."
3. Here is your first sentence: "My high school friends have begun to..." Finish that sentence in a way rings that reflects a conflict, or at least a sense of tension, between you and your friends.  If you can't think of a conflict with your friends, feel free to substitute "My parents" for "My high school friends."
4. Complete your opening page by offering a one-page dialogue between you and your friends.  Try to capture their voices and your voice as accurately as you can.  Of course, there are gaps in your memory; try to fill them as best you can, but don't worry if you have to use a little of your imagination (there's a big difference between "filling in the gaps" and straight-up lying).

HW: Work on Thursday's reading assignment (Chapters 7, 8, 9 and 10 with annotations); start looking over SAT List 8 vocabulary words and bring them to class tomorrow.

All Boys, All Blogged: November 26, 2012

Focus: Student-led discussion of A Long Way Gone, Chapters 3-6

1. Warm-up: Creating annotation bookmarks for A Long Way Gone:

• Give yourself a title that incorporates your role (ex: If Sam had chosen the "Outdoorsman" task, he could call himself "Sam vs. Wild").
• Create a symbol for your particular focus as an annotator and draw it carefully on your bookmark.
• Write your own motto, or use the one I gave you, or look up a new one.
• Write three role-related questions that you should be asking yourself as you read (ex: How is the land described?  How does that description reflect what's going on with the narrator here?).

2. Signing up for one-on-one essay conferences

3. Fishbowl Discussion #2: Chapters 3-6 of A Long Way Gone

HW: Start on Thursday's reading assignment and annotations; bring your book and annotations to class tomorrow; book talks; start preparing for this Friday's List 7 SAT vocab. quiz.

All Boys, All Blogged: November 16, 2012

Focus: Understanding the beginning of A Long Way Gone and establishing ourselves as memoirists, too

Kite Runner books and essays are due today.  Please turn them in right away.

1. Warm-up: Book Talks

2. Q&A on the "Journal with a Purpose" handout and applying it to the first pages of Chapter 3 for practice; also, figuring out a fair number of annotations per chapter.

3. Discussing Beah's first page and composing the first page of your memoir.  That's right!
Click HERE for the rules of memoir club.

• What can we infer about the narrator from this little piece of dialogue?
• What can we infer about his high school friends?
• Why might the author start his memoir this way?

Your task as a memoirist:

1. Start  a new folder in Google Drive and call it "Memoir."
2. Open a new document and call it "Opening."
3. Here is your first sentence: "My high school friends have begun to..." Finish that sentence in a way rings that reflects a conflict, or at least a sense of tension, between you and your friends.  If you can't think of a conflict with your friends, feel free to substitute "My parents" for "My high school friends."
4. Complete your opening page by offering a one-page dialogue between you and your friends.  Try to capture their voices and your voice as accurately as you can.  Of course, there are gaps in your memory; try to fill them as best you can, but don't worry if you have to use a little of your imagination (there's a big difference between "filling in the gaps" and straight-up lying).

HW: 1. Prepare for Monday's fishbowl by reading and annotating Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6; remember to mark the book each time you see an instance of your particular focus as a DJ, astronomer, sociologist, etc.  When you mark it, annotate it by offering an interpretation or posing a question about it.
2. Please finish today's memoir assignment by next Tuesday, November 27.

All Boys, All Blogged: November 15, 2012

Focus: Stepping into the violent world of A Long Way Gone

Announcement: Vocabulary is cancelled this week.  Enjoy.

1. Warm-up: Book talks

2. Finishing yesterday's activity and connecting our culture of violence to Ishmael's

3. Fishbowl #1: A Long Way Gone, Chapters 1 and 2

4. Wrap-up: Self reflections and goals

HW:  1. Read through the "Journal with a Purpose" handout (also linked HERE) and come to class prepared with any questions you may have.

2. Make sure your Kite Runner essay is turned in tomorrow during class at the latest.

3. The Kite Runner books must be turned in by tomorrow.

4. Start on your next reading assignment for A Long Way Gone by reading and annotating Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6 (next fishbowl discussion is the Monday after Thanksgiving).

All Boys, All Blogged: November 14, 2012

Focus: Investigating cultures of violence

1. Warm-up: Reflecting upon and turning in webquests

2. Reacting to timeline and images of our culture of violence

HW: Prepare for tomorrow's fishbowl by reading and annotating Chapters 1 and 2 of A Long Way Gone; bring your vocabulary to class tomorrow for review of List 8 (quiz Friday).  FINAL DRAFT OF KITE RUNNER ESSAY DUE TOMORROW (FRIDAY AT THE VERY, VERY LATEST).

All Boys, All Blogged: November 13, 2012

Focus: Understanding the background of A Long Way Gone

1. Warming up with a few book talks!

2. Distributing A Long Way Gone and reading the first page together.

3. Exploring critical background information for A Long Way Gone through a webquest.

HW: Finish the webquest and bring it to turn in at the beginning of class tomorrow; start reading and annotating Chapters 1 and 2 for Thursday's fishbowl discussion; continue editing essays.

All Boys, All Blogged: Monday, November 12

Focus: Stylistic editing for your hero's journey essays

1. Warm-up: Signing up for A Long Way Gone fishbowls

2. Self-editing: Click here for today's slides.

3. Peer editing using the official rubric.

HW: Continue editing your essay (due Thursday, or Friday at the very, very latest); if you have your own copy of A Long Way Gone, bring it to class tomorrow.

All Boys, All Blogged: November 9, 2012

Focus: Putting the "A" in essay, Ms. Leclaire style

1. Warm-up: Announcing the winners of yesterday's close reading contest
Check: Are you putting this same level of analysis into your discussion of every quote and example?

2. Listening to our first book talks: Sam and Philip

2. Editing both body paragraphs.  Click here for today's editing slides.

3. Muddling through everyone's least favorite part: The conclusion

HW: Finish your entire draft (introduction, two body paragraphs, and conclusion) by Monday.  BRING AN ELECTRONIC COPY TO CLASS; Monday will be the final day of editing.

Note: Final draft due Thursday, November 15, or Friday November 16.  First come, first graded.

All Boys, All Blogged: November 8, 2012

Focus: Strengthening your body paragraph

1. Warm-up: A little contest...analyze this!  Note: The two winners will have their choice of an extra point on their essay or homemade Leclaire cake:

Examine closely the quotation you have been given from The Kite Runner (a little academic treat from me to you).  In as much depth as you can, analyze the quotation by responding to the following questions:

• What heroic trait(s) does this quotation reveal and HOW?
• How does this moment contribute to Amir's journey?
• Why is this moment crucial to Amir's development as a hero?  What does it help him realize or conquer?
• Why must ALL heroes undergo a moment like this one?  

2. Musical chairs editing of the body paragraph using the official rubric.

3. Time to revise the first body paragraph and start working on the second.

HW: Finish revising your first body paragraph; draft your second body paragraph and bring it to class tomorrow.  Tomorrow we will be having a work habits check in class to make sure that your introduction and two body paragraphs are complete.

All Boys, All Blogged: November 7, 2012

Focus: Clearing up any confusion and moving onward and upward to the body paragraph

1. Warm-up: Grade my introduction!  Google share with the other people in your membership grid group; use the rubric below to assess others' introductions and give feedback:

Introductory Paragraph: _____ / 10 points

Engaging opening sentence

• Does it grab your attention?
• If it's a quotation, is it famous, said by a famous person, or from one of the texts?
• If it's a question, does it sound sophisticated (and avoid "you" or "I")?
• If it's a statement or story, is it powerful?

Mentions titles and characters from both works

• The introduction should do this before you even get to the thesis statement.

Develops two traits of the hero’s journey

• Does it define the two traits?
• Does it explain why the two traits are important?
• Does it briefly explain how your two heroes embody these traits?

Transitions from opening sentence to thesis

• Does it ease you smoothly into the thesis statement?
• Is the thesis statement the last sentence of the introduction?

2. Revise your introductions based on your group's feedback.

3. Dissecting the anatomy of a body paragraph using yesterday's sample rough draft.

4. Time to compose body paragraphs.

HW: Finish revising your introduction and composing your entire first body paragraph; bring either an electronic version or a hard copy to class tomorrow.

All Boys, All Blogged: November 6, 2012

Focus: Revising your thesis statements and watching them grow into introductions!  Also, recapping topic sentences and body paragraphs.

1. Warm-up: I need a few brave volunteers to share their thesis statements and topic sentences...

2. How does a little thesis grow into a big, beautiful introduction?  

Want to write a college-level introduction?  Click here for extra help from University of North Carolina.

3. Dissecting the anatomy of a powerful body paragraph. See examples given out in class.

4. Turn in your thesis and your two brainstorming charts before you leave class today, please.

HW: By tomorrow, please finish your introduction and first body paragraph.  You may bring either a hard copy or an electronic copy to class.

All Boys, All Blogged: November 5, 2012

Focus: How do we write strong, complex thesis statements about the hero's journey?

1. Warm-up: Hero throw-down: Amir vs.  _____________

• Which traits are the most significant to these two heroes?  Why?
• If we put these two heroes in a boxing ring, which one wins each battle and why?  How do they stack up?
• In the overall contest for more compelling hero, which one wins?

2. Checking your charts

3. Reading through the overview and trying out several different thesis structures.

4. I need a few brave volunteers to put their thesis statements under the microscope...

Is it clear?  (easy to understand and beautifully written)

0           1          2          3         4         5

Is it specific?  (mentions both heroes and both traits from the hero's journey, as well as text titles)

0           1          2          3         4         5

Is it debatable?  (makes an argument...perhaps about what the most important traits are, or which one is a    more compelling hero and why, or why all heroes must undergo these two steps, etc.)

0           1          2          3         4         5

Is it provable?  (there is evidence from both texts to support the argument)

0           1          2          3         4         5


5. What is a topic sentence, and how do I write a good one?

HW: Start a new Google doc and type the strongest version of your thesis that you can create; type your two topic sentences underneath (one for each body paragraph).

All Boys, All Blogged: November 2, 2012

Focus: Augmenting your vocabulary and your understanding of the hero's journey

1. Warm-up: SAT List 7 vocabulary review:

Scattegories: Round 1

• Something you would do to gird yourself for a zombie attack
• A type of animal that daunts you
• A student behavior that would keep English 10 in a state of flux
• A place where you might find a hovel
• An exclamation that a cadaverous pirate might make

Scattegories: Round 2

• Types of sounds that you would hear in a gothic, haunted mansion
• A country where many people suffer from penury
• The place in your house that serves as an egress to the magical land of Narnia
• A kind of food that brings you great felicity
• Something a despot would say to his subjects

2. SAT List 7 quiz

3. Overview of the hero's journey essay (click here for the electronic version of the essay overview).

4. Time to finish brainstorming and to start narrowing down the topic of your essay.

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR A BOOK TALK DATE TODAY.

HW: By Monday, your yellow hero's journey chart needs to be finished, as does the chart in your essay overview (including specific quotations); continue working on book talk.

All Boys, All Blogged: November 1, 2012

Focus: Analyzing the conclusion of The Kite Runner film and the conclusion of the novel; reviewing vocab.

Warm-up: Hero's journey human minesweeper

Finish watching and discussing film version of The Kite Runner

• What is the single most powerful choice you think the director made?  
• What is the worst choice you think the director made and why?

SAT List 7 vocabulary review

HW: Finish the second page of the hero's journey chart by tomorrow; study for tomorrow's SAT List 7 vocabulary quiz; work on book talk.

All Boys, All Blogged: October 31, 2012

Shortened class: 11:00-11:28

Focus: How does the film version of The Kite Runner alter or heighten (or ruin? Hopefully not) your interpretation of the novel?

Warm-up: Mrs. Makovsky's notes about you.  Also, how was the PSAT?

Finish watching and discussing the film: What is the single most powerful choice you think the director made?  What is the worst choice you think the director made and why?

Overview of the hero's journey essay; start brainstorming using the Joseph Campbell chart.

HW: Complete the first page of the hero's journey chart.  Attempt to fill in each box in specific detail, but you may leave one blank if it simply doesn't apply.  Also, continue working on your speech; prepare to sign up on Friday.  Lastly, start studying for Friday's List 7 vocabulary quiz (we will review briefly in class tomorrow).

All Boys, All Blogged: October 29 and 30, 2012

Focus: How does the film version of The Kite Runner challenge, enhance, or flat-out contradict your understanding of the book?

1. Welcome, Mrs. Makovsky!

2. Overview of blogging during the film:

At least five times throughout the film (and preferably more), please post a comment about the film that responds to one or all of the following:

• What aspects of the film don't match the way you thought about the book?  How are they different?
• What aspects of the film support the way you thought about the book?  How so?
• If you could ask the director questions about the choices he made in this film, what would you ask?  Feel free to respond to other peoples' questions as well.
• If you were directing this film, what would you do differently?

3. 5 minutes: Large group discussion (aloud)

HW: Work on your independent reading book talk; you should finish Step 1 (the brainstorming portion) tonight.  Remember that when I return on Wednesday, we will be starting a challenging essay on The Kite Runner. 

All Boys, All Blogged: October 26, 2012

Focus: Augmenting your vocabularies and drawing your discussion of The Kite Runner to a close

1. SAT List 6 vocabulary quiz

2. Independent reading/speech writing

3.  Kody's lesson?

4. Final thoughts on The Kite Runner:

• What is the purpose of this book?  How do you know?
• Does this book achieve that purpose?  How do you know?
• Why do we read?  Is this a book, in your personal opinion, worth reading?

HW: Finish your independent reading book and begin working on your speech.

All Boys, All Blogged: October 25, 2012

Focus: Did Amir find a way to be good again?  Did he achieve true redemption?

Warm-up: List 6 SAT vocabulary review

The final fishbowl discussion: Chapter 25 of The Kite Runner

Wrap-up: Final take-away's

HW: Study for tomorrow's List 6 SAT vocab quiz; independent reading books due Tuesday; bring your independent reading to class tomorrow.

All Boys, All Blogged: October 24, 2012

Focus: Reading between the lines: Foreshadowing in Chapter 24

Warm-up: Here are two questions posed during yesterday's fantastic fishbowl that deserve a little personal writing: 
         (1) If guilt leads to good, can we achieve redemption?
         (2) What does it take to trust someone?  
Please spend the first 10 minutes of class freewriting on one or both of the following questions.  

Large class discussion: Finding the subtle foreshadowing in Ch. 24 for the disaster at the end of the chapter, as well as hints as to whether Sohrab lives or dies.

My feedback from yesterday's fishbowl discussion.

Time to start reading Chapter 25 together.

HW: Read and annotate the end of The Kite Runner; prepare for our final fishbowl discussion! Start studying for Friday's SAT List 6 quiz; independent reading.

All Boys, All Blogged: October 23, 2012

Welcome to our first daily agenda on the blog!

Focus: Now that Amir has taken "the red pill," is there a way to be good again?  A close look at Chapters 22 and 23 in The Kite Runner

1. Warm-up: Find one phrase or short sentence from Chapter 22 or 23 that illustrates an important moment in Amir's (heroic?) journey.  As you listen to your classmates read their phrases aloud, what new picture do we form of Amir?  How has he changed, and why?

2. Kite Runner Fishbowl Discussion #7: Chapters 22 and 23 (please post your blog responses underneath today's agenda).

3. Wrap-up: Take-away's from today's discussion

Homework: Read and annotate Chapter 24 of The Kite Runner for tomorrow's discussion.  Also, please read the overview of your independent reading project and come in prepared with any questions you have.  Lastly, while SAT vocabulary cards are no longer required, I strongly suggest making them for List 6.

Fishbowl #6: Chapter 21

By this point, you know what to do!  Keep up your strong work with bringing quotations into at least one of your responses, getting into the hotseats, and participating frequently and thoughtfully from the beginning of the discussion to the end.

Enjoy!

Fishbowl #5: Chapters 19 and 20

Hello, fishbowlers!

If you have questions about Afghanistan you'd like our long-distance friend, Rob, to answer, feel free (as always) to post them here.

You have the same two goals today, my friends:
(A) Bring at least one quotation into your responses.
(B) Keep getting into the hotseats.

(C) Remember that you are expected to use your laptop ONLY for blogging; you should be participating frequently from the beginning of the discussion to the end.

Enjoy, and keep up your strong work!

Fishbowl #4: Chapters 17 and 18

Hello, fishbowlers!

If you have questions about Afghanistan you'd like our long-distance friend, Rob, to answer, feel free to post them here, and he will respond to them this week.

Also, I've posted a picture that Rob sent to us two years ago from Afghanistan.

You have the same two goals today, my friends:
(A) Bring at least one quotation into your responses.
(B) Challenge yourself to get into the hotseats today (you're doing a GREAT job so far!).

Enjoy, and keep up your strong work!

Fishbowl #3: Chapters (13), 14, 15 and 16

Welcome back to fishbowl!

You have three goals today, my friends:

(A) Bring at least one quotation into your responses.

(B) As an outer circle, we need to make sure that at least five different people get into the hotseats today.

(C) Explain your thinking carefully and thoroughly (avoid the one-sentence response).

Enjoy

Fishbowl #2: Chapters 11 and 12

Hello, happy fishbowlers! Great job yesterday, by the way.

Here are your three special challenges for today:

(1) Bring a quotation into at least one of your blogs today.

(2) Ask Rob (our special contact) a question.




(3) Please capitalize your "I's" (and maintain all other capitalization rules).

Have fun!

Fishbowl #1: Chapters 9 and 10

Welcome to fishbowl! As you engage in an invigorating conversation on the outer circle, please keep in mind the following:

1. Hit the F5 key to refresh your screen and see new comments.
2. Always address the person (or people) to whom you are responding.
3. Comment consistently throughout the discussion.
4. Proofread for spelling and grammar; avoid using texting language.
5. Bring in examples/quotations from the text when possible.
6. Above all else, keep it professional.

Insignificant

Please read the lyrics to the song "Insignificant" by the Counting Crows, then respond to the questions that follow (we will listen to the music tomorrow in class; please do NOT listen to the music yet):

Can you see me
Up on a building
From down on the pavement
Or out in the crowd?

Can you see me
Through the glare of the lamp post?
I am walking a tightrope
Into the moon

I don't wanna feel so different
But I don't wanna be insignificant
And I don't know how to see
The same thing's different now

Oh, can you see me?
I am one in a million
I am Icarus falling
Out of the sun

Could you see me falling a line of
Spotlights and jackknife
Through night black as a bedroom
And white as a lie?

I don't wanna feel so different
But I don't wanna be insignificant
And I don't know how to see
The same thing's different now

Diving through the dark
While the night turns blue
And you wear your intentions
As I wear my intentions so clear

If you see me
Wading through water
Oh, come drown in the river
Right in front of the world

You can wash your face and hands
In the stream of my anger
It's as bright as white paper
As dark as a girl

I don't wanna feel so different
But I don't wanna be insignificant
And I don't know how to see
The same thing's different now

I don't wanna feel so different
But I don't wanna be insignificant
I don't know how to see
The same thing's different now, now, now

http://www.metrolyrics.com/insignificant-lyrics-counting-crows.html#ixzz25WOejDUk
Copied from MetroLyrics.com 

1. Which words and phrases (or "clues") in the song stand out to you the most and why?

2. How would you describe this song's mood? What kind of music would best fit these lyrics? Explain your answers.

3. What bigger picture emerges from the words and phrases in this song?  In other words, what themes arise from this song?

Please remember to abide by our class blogging policies and to read others' responses before posting your own.

Or Perhaps It's Door #3?

A FEW TIPS: To read this painting, use the technique we practiced in class today: Gather as many "clues," or specific details as you can; try to find something that no one else in the class sees.  Then, try to piece them together to tell a larger story.  Remember to make the story as complete as possible.

YOUR TASK: In your blog, please describe which THREE clues, or details, were the most significant to this painting and why.  Then, tell us what you see as the larger picture.  Please remember to read others' posts before you create your own, and try to reference someone else's interpretation.

NOTE: This is a complex painting.  If you start to feel lost, remember the card trick from class today: If you don't succeed in interpreting the painting the first time around, try a different angle...focus on just one part of the painting, then look at the corners, then just the bottom, or the top, etc.  Keep gather little clues, one at a time, until you start to see a larger picture.

What About Door #2?

A FEW TIPS: To read this painting, use the technique we practiced in class today: Gather as many "clues," or specific details as you can; try to find something that no one else in the class sees.  Then, try to piece them together to tell a larger story.  Remember to make the story as complete as possible.

YOUR TASK: In your blog, please describe which THREE clues, or details, were the most significant to this painting and why.  Then, tell us what you see as the larger picture.  Please remember to read others' posts before you create your own, and try to reference someone else's interpretation.

NOTE: This is a complex painting.  If you start to feel lost, remember the card trick from class today: If you don't succeed in interpreting the painting the first time around, try a different angle...focus on just one part of the painting, then look at the corners, then just the bottom, or the top, etc.  Keep gather little clues, one at a time, until you start to see a larger picture.

What's Behind Door #1?

A FEW TIPS: To read this painting, use the technique we practiced in class today: Gather as many "clues," or specific details as you can; try to find something that no one else in the class sees.  Then, try to piece them together to tell a larger story.  Remember to make the story as complete as possible.

YOUR TASK: In your blog, please describe which THREE clues, or details, were the most significant to this painting and why.  Then, tell us what you see as the larger picture.  Please remember to read others' posts before you create your own, and try to reference someone else's interpretation.

Just try it...maybe you'll like it.

In class on Friday we will discuss how to use small but significant clues to sneak your way into a painting. Please peruse the painting below and respond to the questions that follow it.

Important notes:

• Please do NOT Google this painting or use any other outside help; I only want to know what this class makes of the painting.  
• Also, be sure to read others' responses before you post your own and include whether you agree or disagree with some of their interpretations.

1. Which part of the painting is your eye drawn to first?  Why do you think this is?

2. As you let your eyes wander all over the painting (up to down, left to right, corner to corner), which details of the painting do you have questions about?  In other words, if you could ask the artist one question about a specific detail in this painting, what would it be?  Post that question here.

3.  Let your mind attempt to draw together the details and make sense of the painting as a whole.  What do you think this painting is trying to convey to us?  Defend your thinking.

Please remember to proofread your answers carefully before posting.  Your response should reflect your professionalism.

Welcome to English 10!

Thanks for stopping by!

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2. Once you are signed in, you will notice that there are other options for connecting to this blog as well, including e-mail, Twitter and Facebook.  This is purely up to you, but you do need to join the site as explained in task #1.

Congratulations!  You have officially joined the prestigious community that is this English 10 blog.

If You Really Knew Me...

In an effort to get to know each other and trust each other, I'd like you to take a little risk and post five things that you'd like other people in the class to know about you. The quirkier/more unique and personal, the better.

Here are my five:

1. I am a terrible sport and throw a fit when I lose--especially when it comes to board and card games.

2. I have a phobia of people throwing up.

3. I refuse to eat fruit when it's suspended in gelatinous substances.

4. Every night before I go to bed, I go into Sam's room and quietly thank him for being alive.

5. I really want to be writer, but I've never submitted anything to publication because I'm afraid of my work being rejected.