March 31

3rd period will have a quiz and see two short films. Then we'll do presentations. 4th period will do presentations.

March 30

Twenty minutes SSR then presentations today. I'll call name at random if I don't get volunteers. The idea here is to learn and improve your presentations. I'll offer criticisms and suggestions. This will not be graded except to see if you covered all the requirements and that you were ready on time. 3rd period will have a quiz. See yesterday's agenda for tonight's reading assignment.

March 29

We'll do the first slide presentations today. I hope for volunteers or I'll pull name from a hat. My goals: Talk about books. Let's not rush through these slide shows; let's use these as a springboard to inspire discussions about books. Write about books. Each day that we do this I'll ask you to write a short diary entry about one topic that came up during our discussions. If you have ideas for writing topics please raise your hand and let me know. HOMEWORK: 3rd period tonight read pages 684-686. Quiz tomorrow. Wednesday night read 691-694 (expect quiz); Thursday night read 694-696 (expect quiz).

March 25

Twenty minutes SSR.
Then Ms. Legakis (if she is able; she might be out sick) will do a PowerPoint presentation for you.
And finally we will work on a STAR test prep activity involving the writing of thesis statements and 'hooks'.

March 24

All period in the lab working on Response to Literature

March 23

Twenty minutes SSR, then we go to the lab.

Response to Literature is due tomorrow at 4pm.

HOMEWORK: 3rd period read pages 678-683. Quiz tomorrow.

March 22

Each class will have some kind of quiz to begin the class period, then you can return to "Response to Literature".

March 21

20 minutes SSR.
Then 3rd will do a brief warmup about Circe, followed by a short film.
4th will do a Jekyll warmup then to the lab.

HOMEWORK:
3rd read pages 675-677. Quiz tomorrow.
4th prepare for some kind of quiz or activity tomorrow intended to test whether you actually read Jekyll & Hyde.

March 18

Twenty minutes SSR.

Then 3rd period will read a portion of The Odyssey and answer questions.
4th period will write an obituary for Dr. Jekyll after we discuss the last chapter.

March 17

3rd period you will begin with some review material from Ms. Legakis.
Then we will resume work on Response to Literature.

4th period we will begin by discussing Mr. Lanyon's letter.
Then we will resume work on Response to Literature

March 16

Twenty minutes SSR
Then we will do some reviewing and discussion of the books you are reading.

March 15

We'll begin with an assessment designed to see if you did last night's reading.

Then we'll go to the lab to resume work on the Responses to Literature.

HOMEWORK:
3rd read pages 660-670 on the Cyclops. Possible quiz tomorrow.
4th read pages 25-35 (two chapters). Possible quiz tomorrow.

March 14

20 minutes SSR, of course.

3rd we'll read and discuss more of The Odyssey.

4th we'll read and discuss more of Jekyll and Hyde.

HOMEWORK:

3rd read 656-659. I will 'assess' whether you did the reading or not tomorrow.

4th read pages 23-27. We will discuss quotes tomorrow. I will try to spread things around so that I can figure out who is not doing the reading, if anyone.

March 11

Start with 20 minutes SSR, then we'll talk briefly about the book you are reading (The Odyssey or Jekyll and Hyde), then go to the lab to work on Response to Literature.

I'm expected to have firm deadlines on assignments so if you haven't given me the four paragraphs yet I'll deduct 10% off your grade for that assignment for each day it is late.

March 10

1. Finish the four paragraphs. I've delayed the due date to today at 4pm.
2. Continue with Response to Literature slide shows or movies. Due date is March 24.

3rd, you were supposed to read pages 652-655 last night. As a kind of WARM UP today I'd like you to explain these lines to me. Put your answers on Google docs. Save it as LastNameCALYPSO. (You need not write the questions. Just number your answers)

a. No words were lost on Hermes the Wayfinder
who bent to tie his beautiful sandals on,
WHO IS HERMES AND WHY IS HE PUTTING HIS/HER SANDALS ON?
b. Though he fought shy of her and her desire for him,
he lay with her each night, for she compelled him.
HOW DID SHE COMPEL HIM?
c. To this the strategist Odysseus answered:
"My lady goddess, there is no cause for anger.
My lady Penelope {Odysseus' wife}--how well I know--
Would seem a shade before your Majesty."
WHY DOES HOMER CALL ODYSSEUS A STRATEGIST?

4th period I want to show you a bit of a movie before you begin your other labors.

March 9

We'll begin with 20 minutes SSR.

3rd period: We will begin talking about The Odyssey. If time we'll go briefly to the lab to look at the geography of the Mediterranean Sea, the location of Troy, Sparta, Ithaca & other places in the story.
4th period: Then we'll go over quotes from chapter 3 of Jekyll and Hyde.
If time I'm going to show you a bit of a movie of J&H.

HOMEWORK: 3rd read pages 652-655 in the Blue Book. I will orally call on random students to discuss the reading tomorrow.
4th: read pages 14-17. I will orally call on random students to discuss the reading tomorrow.

March 8

We'll be in the lab to work on Response to Literature slide shows, but we begin with:

3rd a quiz on the last chapter of White Fang.
4th a discussion of key quotes from pages 6-11 in Jekyll.

HOMEWORK:
3rd read first page of The Odyssey in blue book
4th read next chapter of Jekyll

March 7

We'll begin with SSR for 20 minutes, then adjourn to the lab to investigate aspects of The Response to Literature.

If you have decided who is in your group then do this as a group. If you are still uncertain or prefer to work alone then do your own paper.

Submit this on Google docs. Save as LastNameFirstInitialRESPONSE1
For groups please be sure everyone's name is prominently on the document. Maximum of three people in a group.

I'd like four paragraphs from you:
1. significant ideas in literature
2. support key ideas in an essay
3. stylistic devices in literature
4. ambiguities and nuances in literature

Within each paragraph I'd like your understanding of what each phrase means. For each paragaraph I'd like at least one URL pointing to a website that helped you understand the phrase.

Suggestions-advice:
a. put key word sequences in quotes when searching "stylistic devices"
b. understand that there are other ways to say these things so your search may lead you to different combinations of words ('significant ideas' might become 'themes' or 'main ideas')
c. We will continue this tomorrow. Deadline for submission is Wednesday at 4pm. Worth 50 p0ints.
d. talk to each other and to me. Ask questions. Don't sit there confused about what to do.

4th period HOMEWORK: read pages 6-11 tonight.

March 4

It finally occurred to me last night that you can't do the Response to Literature until you read the books, so a three week deadline is ridiculous. Let's reset this deadline today.

We'll begin with SSR.
Then you can get together and try to organize yourselves into groups to decide what books to read for "Response to Literature".
And finally I thought I'd give you a couple practice problems from past STAR tests.

March 3

I was sick last night and I received many new papers, so please understand that I will not be caught up with the grades till Monday.

Today in 3rd we'll continue to design the "Response to Literature" unit. Then we'll do something unusual: we will read a chapter of White Fang aloud and discuss it.

HOMEWORK: Read "The Gods Domain" and "The Call of Kind". (We'll finish some of the Gods Domain in class). Very likely there will be a quiz tomorrow. I may include chapters 22, 23 & 24 on the quiz.

Today in 4th we'll go to the library to pick up copies of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; then continue to design the "Response to Literature" unit. We'll read some of Jekyll aloud to get a feel for Robert Louis Stevenson's writing style.

HOMEWORK: Read the next ten pages of Jekyll. I'll quiz you on them tomorrow.

March 2

We'll begin with SSR. Then return to the issue of "Response to Literature". The idea is for us to design an activity that will fulfill the state's requirements while preserving some of your ability to control your own learning.
There are several tools at our disposal:
-Marcus has been pushing for oral examinations. Maybe you could all use the Smart Boards to make some kind of presentations?
-Some people don't like the computers but they are a good tool. Should internet research be part of this activity? Prezi? PowerPoint? Some other software?
-The state website recommends documents of 1,500 words or more. But we could change this if necessary.
-Deadline? I've been bad about this in the past. Perhaps we need a firm deadline right now--say three weeks? March 21?

HOMEWORK: 3rd period read "The Southland". It's probably too soon for another quiz but you never know.
4th period you are getting copies of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde today. Please read the first ten pages tonight.