September 19/22, 2008

September 19/22, 2008

Today we'll check out the tableaux created by the students last time for a scene from The Outsiders. Who did the best job of recreating the scene from the book? -- Oops! We didn't get this done because of technical difficulties.

Students are taking a quiz on more homophone pairs. Study it’s/its, led/lead, right/rite/write.
They are also practicing recognizing the different types of conflict:
Man vs. Man Man vs. Nature Man vs. the Unknown Man vs. Self Man vs. Society

We are reading from The Outsiders.
B1 - to page 71
B2 -- to page 72
B3 -- to page 73
A1 -- to page 73
A2 -- to page 72

For B-Day, today is a day to hand in your reading logs for the week! A-Day classes should have handed in theirs yesterday.

Wow! Another Extra Credit Opportunity!

Never expires.
Have you learned about metaphors and similes? Extra credit is available to students who find and capture metaphors and similes from their reading. A reward (extra credit points) is currently available for the capture of these valuable creatures.

Include the metaphor or simile, where you found it, and a page number (if appropriate).

For example, this sentence from The Outsiders uses a metaphor: "I couldn't have gotten much cooler without turning into a popsicle." (page 53) It's not literally true that he would turn into a popsicle. This is figurative language -- a metaphor -- comparing two unlike things to help the reader understand what it was like to be that cold.

On page 54, we find this simile:
"Johnny was scared to death. I mean it. He was as white as ghost . . . "

September 19/22, 2008

September 19/22, 2008

Today we'll check out the tableaux created by the students last time for a scene from The Outsiders. Who did the best job of recreating the scene from the book?

Students are taking a quiz on more homophone pairs. Study it’s/its, led/lead, right/rite/write.
They are also practicing recognizing the different types of conflict:
Man vs. Man Man vs. Nature Man vs. the Unknown Man vs. Self Man vs. Society

We are reading from The Outsiders.
B1 - to page 71
B2 -- to page 72
B3 -- to page 73
A1 -- to page
A2 -- to page

Students created a Journal page on binder paper in their binders, and wrote this entry:
"You are watching from the bushes when Johnny and Pony are attacked by the Socs in the park. (Chapter 4) You are later called to be a witness in the murder trial. What would you say to either condemn or defend Johnny?"

Today is a day to hand in your reading logs for the week!

Vocabulary "Toy"

Here's a site where you can develop your vocabulary and do some good! Go to http://www.freerice.com/ and check it out! Go to "change subject" and try out the grammar section, too. I'm addicted!

More Extra Credit Poetry

Expired with end of first term.
More Extra Credit Poetry

Memorize this poem for up to eight points of extra credit.

We Real Cool
by Gwendolyn Brooks

The Pool Players.
Seven at the Golden Shovel.

We real cool. We
Left school. We

Lurk late. We
Strike straight. We

Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We

Jazz June. We
Die soon.


1960


In “We Real Cool,” Gwendolyn Brooks briefly describes the battle of seven school dropouts and their struggles with personal identity. The poem tells the story of school-aged pool players whose lives may appear glamorous, but is brought to truth in the last line. They are unsure of themselves and basically ruining their lives with their impulsive decisions. “We real cool. We/Left school. We/Lurk late. We/strike straight.” In the poem, the pool players are in conflict with themselves. The are not very confident and believe because they do things such as leaving school, standing around late a night and talking big about themselves, that they are “cool.” The poem's rhythm blends well with its straightforward context. The short lines may symbolize the dropouts lack of vocabulary or they way they regularly speak. Alone each line is short and incomplete but in the poem all of the lines come together to paint an image. All the excitement of this lifestyle is brought to a realization with the last line “We/die soon.” -- from project1.caryacademy.org/echoes/poet_Gwendoly...

September 17/18

September 17/18

Note: If you are missing any work, come in after school to make it up.
Self-Starter: On your own, take the quiz on confusing words, and on editing.

Remember: Book-of-the-Month is due September 25 (B-Day) or September 26 (A-Day). Bring your book that day.

Reminder: Are you bringing your binder to class each time? Make sure your papers are clicked into place behind your English class divider or dividers. See an earlier posting here for what papers you should have so far.

Today's Activities:
1. Take the quiz and correct it. (If you missed today, study dessert/desert and hear/here.)

2. We did an activity recognizing Point of View, Conflict, and Setting (Exposition)

4. Read and listen to The Outsiders.
B1 - to page 51
B2 -- to page 49
B3 -- to page 51
A1 -- to page 49
A2 -- to page 49


For the Book of the Month Club, can you identify and explain. . .
-- The setting -- time and place -- Can you prove it with passages from the book?
-- A major conflict -- Can you prove it with passages from the book?
-- The Point of View/Narrator -- Can you prove it with passages from the book?

September 15/16, 2008

September 15/16, 2008
Self-Starter: On your own, take the quiz on confusing words.

Remember: Book-of-the-Month is due September 25 (B-Day) or September 26 (A-Day). Bring your book that day.

Reminder: Are you bringing your binder to class each time? Make sure your papers are clicked into place behind your English class divider or dividers. See an earlier posting here for what papers you should have so far.

Today's Activities:
1. Take the quiz and correct it. (If you missed today, study bored/board and brake/break.)
2. Discuss the Book-of-the-Month assignment.
3. Learn about Point of View. See nearby entries on this blog.
4. Read and listen to The Outsiders.
B1 - to page 44
B2 -- to page 35
B3 -- to page 42
A1 -- to page 39
A2 -- to page 42

For the Book of the Month Club, can you identify and explain. . .
-- The setting -- time and place -- Can you prove it with passages from the book?
-- A major conflict -- Can you prove it with passages from the book?
-- The Point of View/Narrator -- Can you prove it with passages from the book?