AGENDA 9/30

Timed Essay: Rhetorical Analysis
Reflection on Writing

HW: Complete pink Reflection on Writing sheet if you didn't finish it in class. Bring your copy of Grapes of Wrath tomorrow if you have it.

AGENDA 9/29

Submit rhetorical terms entry #1 plus color-marked rough draft
Turnitin.com Instructions - submit rhetorical terms entry #1 before 10/8
Tips for tomorrow's Rhetorical Analysis Essay
Sample essay on Leonid Fridman's 2008 Form B "America Needs Its Nerds" prompt

HW: Prepare for tomorrow's timed essay! Bring blue or black ink pens, notebook paper, and resources you want to refer to during the timed essay.

AGENDA 9/28

Compose Back-to-School Night Letter for parents

Portfolio exchange

Continue to analyze and discuss "America Needs Its Nerds" prompt

HW: Rhetorical terms entry# 1 due tomorrow! Rhetorical analysis timed essay on Thursday.

Back-to-School Night PowerPoint

AGENDA 9/27

Color-marking exercise: self-reflect on Steinbeck paragraph
NOTE: You'll submit your color-marked draft stapled to the back of your rhetorical terms entry on Wednesday!

Analyze and discuss "America Needs Its Nerds" prompt with partners, then share out with class

Draft thesis statement, discuss elements of body paragraphs

HW: Rhetorical terms entry #1 on either simile or diction of ____ from Steinbeck's "Americans and the Land" due Wednesday!

AGENDA 9/24

Review and discuss similes and diction patterns in Steinbeck's "The Americans and the Land," p. 667 in the McGraw-Hill Reader

Introduce Rhetorical Terms Entries Project

Share, analyze, and discuss sample "A" paper

Share, analyze, and discuss sample "C" paper

Rhetorical Devices chart

Rhetorical Terms Entries Checklist

AGENDA 9/23

Discuss and analyze "In the Fire" by Roger Angell
Introduce rhetorical terms project
Review sample rhetorical terms entry - score of A and score of C
Commentary for sample rhetorical terms entries
Rhetorical terms entries checklist
Rhetorical terms chart


HW: Read Steinbeck's "Americans and the Land," pg. 667 in the McGraw-Hill Reader, for Friday. Note the author's use of similes and the diction of predators/prey.

Finish discussion over A Long Way Gone, Adichie's "The Danger of a Single Story," Ortiz Cofer's "The Myth of the Latin Woman," and Goldsmith's "National Prejudices."

HW: Read Steinbeck's "Americans and the Land," pg. 667 in the McGraw-Hill Reader, for Friday. Note the author's use of similes and the diction of predators/prey.

AGENDA 9/21

Baseline essays

HW: Prepare for second round of seminars tomorrow.

AGENDA 9/20

The Grapes of Wrath Quiz
Review for Baseline Essay tomorrow:
Practice Baseline Essay Prompt
SAT scoring guide
Tips shared in class
Sample body paragraph

HW: Prepare for tomorrow's baseline essay. Bring blue or black ink pens and notebook paper, and a book in case you finish early.

AGENDA 9/17

Grammar Warm-up #1

Discussion over "The Myth of the Latin Woman" by Judith Ortiz Cofer, pgs. 249-253 in McGraw-Hill Reader and "National Prejudices" by Oliver Goldsmith, pgs. 241-243 in McGraw-Hill Reader, as well as A Long Way Gone and Adichie's talk.

HW: Study for Grapes of Wrath quiz and bring your copy of A Long Way Gone on Monday.

AGENDA 9/16

Vocabulary warm-up #1

Finish watching TED talk by Chimamanda Adichie, "The Danger of a Single Story" and complete viewing guide

HW: Summer Free Choice Book Letter due tomorrow. Read "The Myth of the Latin Woman" by Judith Ortiz Cofer, pgs. 249-253 in McGraw-Hill Reader and "National Prejudices" by Oliver Goldsmith, pgs. 241-243 in McGraw-Hill Reader, and be prepared to discuss both as well as A Long Way Gone and Adichie's talk tomorrow.

NOTE: You do NOT need to answer the comprehension questions following the essays. Please read the essays carefully, and perhaps note a significant quotation. Think about connections among the four texts.

AGENDA 9/15

Syllabus Quiz

Trip to textbook room - pick up The McGraw-Hill Reader and Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye (unless you plan to purchase your own copies--you will have two weeks before we need The Bluest Eye, but we'll use The McGraw-Hill Reader almost immediately!)

Watch TED talk by Chimamanda Adichie, "The Danger of a Single Story" and complete viewing guide

HW: Summer Free Choice Book Letter due on Friday. Today is the last day to email me to ask for an extension! Reading quiz on The Grapes of Wrath postponed till Friday because of my absence.

AGENDA 9/14

Introduce last five vocabulary words for A Long Way Gone
Group activity (3 people per group): Review major concepts from A Long Way Gone and brainstorm evidence from the book and other sources. Track in Major Concept Chart.

HW: Study for syllabus quiz tomorrow. Bring ID/schedule for trip to the textbook room. Summer Free Choice Book Letter due Friday--tomorrow is the last day to ask for an extension!

AGENDA 9/13

Introduce next five vocabulary words
Close analysis exercise #1: Personification in pages 80-81 of Beah's A Long Way Gone

HW: Summer Free Choice Book Letter due Friday, 9/17
Study for syllabus quiz on Wednesday, 9/15
The Grapes of Wrath reading quiz scheduled for Thursday, 9/16

AGENDA 9/10

Continue to review syllabus, class policies and syllabus study sheet
Introduce vocabulary words for A Long Way Gone: please complete the vocabulary sheet or make 3x5 index cards to study vocabulary. We will continue going through words on Monday.
Explain Summer Free Choice Book Assignment and share Mrs. Pust's sample letter. Due Friday 9/17 at the beginning of class, and must be typed!

HW: Work on summer free choice book letter. Bring A Long Way Gone to class on Monday and be prepared to discuss personification in pages 78-84.

AGENDA 9/9

NO SCHOOL!

AGENDA 9/8

Reading Quiz over A Long Way Gone
Introduce Syllabus Study Questions - Quiz over Syllabus and Classroom Rules/Procedures next Wednesday worth 15 points. 10 questions will be drawn from the 20 on the study sheet; the other 5 points will come from turning in your completed final page of the syllabus. This should be the easiest 15 points you'll ever earn!

HW: Review pgs. 78-84 of A Long Way Gone, looking for instances of personification. When you find them, make note of them for Friday's discussion.

NOTE: Personification is when an author gives human attributes or qualities to non-human things, such as inanimate objects. For example, if an author writes "the sky wept," that would be an example of personification.

AGENDA 9/7

WELCOME BACK!
Index Card Directions (Do Now Activity)
First Day Letter to Parents/Guardians
First Day PowerPoint and Feedback
Four Truths (and a Lie) Activity

HW: Review A Long Way Gone for reading quiz tomorrow. Share First Day Letter and optional Homework Assignment for Parents with your parents/guardians.