October 28 - November 1

Happy Halloween! Here's what's on the agenda for the week:

MONDAY/TUESDAY: Journal warm-up. Intro: Frederick Douglass. Read Chapter 1 as a class. Last presentations for independent reading project.

Due: Part III of the Independent Reading Project - one page write-up. (See handout on right-hand sidebar.) Note: for period 1, there will be time in class since the school copy machine was broken last week.

Homework: 1st and 2nd period  - Please read Frederick Douglass, Chapters 1-3 for Thursday/Friday. 
Study for quiz. 

6th period - study for quiz

WEDNESDAY: Special Halloween celebration: journal warm-up, read Edgar Allan Poe short story, building suspense with structure: scary video clips.

Due: n/a

Homework: Please read Frederick Douglass, Chapters 1-3 for Thursday/Friday.

THURSDAY (6th period only): Journal warm-up, quiz covering vocab #7, grammar, reading. Special Halloween celebration - read Edgar Allan Poe short story, building suspense with structure: scary video clips.

Due: N/A

Homework:  Read Chapter 1 of Frederick Douglass for Monday and be ready to discuss.


FRIDAY (1st and 2nd period): Journal warm-up. Quiz covering vocab #7, grammar, reading. Check in with Frederick Douglass reading. Notes: simile, metaphor, personification and how they help persuade. Figurative language group activity.

Due: Read Frederick Douglass, Chapters 1-3.

Homework: Read Chapter 4 of Frederick Douglass for Tuesday and be ready to discuss.

October 21 - 25

Welcome! Here's what's on the agenda for the week:

MONDAY/TUESDAY: Journal warm-up. First and Second period: Go over Alfred M. Green essay prompt as a whole class, then outline a response. Please keep this paper; we will expand on it and turn it in next week. (There are notes on Edmodo or see me if you have any questions.)

6th period: Rhetorical analysis example: Queen Elizabeth's Speech to the Troops at Tilbury.

Due: Continue working on presentation for Movie Pitch project.

Obtain a copy of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

Homework: Study for Vocab Quiz covering Vocabulary list #6, grammar. 

Finish Independent Reading, Movie Pitch Part II and be ready to present.

WEDNESDAY: (6th period only) Hearing test. Journal warm-up. Podcast preview of next unit.

Due: Continue working on presentation for Movie Pitch project.

Obtain a copy of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. 

Homework: Study for Vocab Quiz covering Vocabulary list #6, grammar. 

Finish Independent Reading, Movie Pitch Part II and be ready to present.

THURSDAY/FRIDAY: Journal warm-up. Quiz covering Vocab #6, grammar. Receive Vocab Lists #7 and #8 for future weeks. Presentations for the Movie Pitch. Introduce final part of the Independent Reading Project.

Due: Finish Independent Reading, Movie Pitch Part II and be ready to present.

Homework: Write one full page in full sentences and paragraphs about your experiences working in your Independent Reading groups to complete the movie project. Can be typed or neatly handwritten. (See handout.) This is due next class. It will be kept confidential.

October 14 - 18

It's mid-October already! We're working on the Independent Reading Movie Pitch Project in groups, and each person has their own deliverable/role after the group agrees on a concept. (NOTE: Per the instruction sheet, one person in each group should be doing the "Concept" role, and then each person in the group chooses ONLY ONE additional role on the sheet. Larger groups may have all of the roles filled, but most groups of 3-4 will not.)

We're also gearing up to write the first rhetorical analysis essay in stages, outlining is next.

The class will begin reading Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass next, beginning October 21/22. I highly recommend that students purchase a copy of the book for annotations. It's currently available on Amazon for $1.69. (Amazon limits the order to 4 per account.) I can put in a class order to Dover and receive the books for $3 each - please let me know if you'd like to be included in the order before Tuesday, Oct. 15. Lastly, I will have some class copies on hand for use in class, and it is also available at local libraries and for free online through our school library and the Gutenberg Project website. 

MONDAY/TUESDAY: Journal warm-up. Frederick Douglass announcement. Independent Movie Pitch Check-in. Chromebooks: last work day in groups in class before Part I is due. Be sure the Goodreads review of your Independent Reading book is also completed.

Due: By end of class: uploaded Goodreads review of independent reading book - 5 sentences minimum and a star rating. 

Homework: Finish your role in the Independent Reading Movie Pitch assignment, Part I and have it ready to turn in on Thursday/Friday. 

Study for the vocab/grammar quiz covering Vocab #5. 

WEDNESDAY: (No late start - come in for the PSAT at 7:45 a.m.)  Journal warm-up. Special creative vocabulary game in groups. 

Due: n/a

Homework: (same as Monday) 

THURSDAY/FRIDAY: Journal warm-up. Turn in Independent Reading Movie Pitch Part I - your individual role.  Quiz - Vocabulary #5. Chromebooks: work on Independent Reading Movie Pitch Part II with your groups, sign up for a presentation time next week. 

Due: Independent Reading Movie Pitch Part I - your individual role/assignment.

Homework: Work on Part II of the Movie Pitch, the presentation. 

Obtain a copy of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.   

Oct. 7 - 11

Another short week! This week, we'll begin working on independent reading projects, outlining rhetorical analysis prompts, and learning more rhetorical analysis terms, such as tone.

We will begin reading Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass October 21/22. I highly recommend that students purchase a copy of the book for annotations. It's currently available on Amazon for $1.69. (Amazon limits the order to 4 per account.) I can put in a class order to Dover and receive the books for $3 each. Lastly, I will have class copies and it is also available for free online through our school library and the Gutenberg Project website.

MONDAY/TUESDAY: Journal warm-up. Frederick Douglass preview. Tone exercises.  Begin discussing your group's vision for the movie pitch of the book you just read. 

Note: 1st period will get a hearing test from 9:00 - 9:20, 2nd period from 10:40 - 11. 

Due: Finish the independent reading book.

Homework: Read and annotate a rhetorical analysis prompt with a pencil for Thursday/Friday. Please bring your prompt and annotations with you. Rhetorical devices should be marked in the margins with a pencil. 

Study for Tone Vocabulary quiz.

WEDNESDAY: Holiday - Yom Kippur. No school.

THURSDAY/FRIDAY: Journal warm-up. Turn in annotations on Green rhetorical analysis prompt. Quiz covering Tone Vocabulary. Receive vocabulary #5 for next week. Chromebooks: add book review to Goodreads: 5 original sentences, minimum, plus a star rating. Receive independent reading project description. Begin work in groups and divide up the roles. Pre-admin for the PSAT (15 minutes).

Due: Read and annotate rhetorical analysis prompt with a pencil and turn it in.

Homework: Please post 5-sentence review plus a rating of your independent reading book on Goodreads before next Monday/Tuesday for credit.

Work on your portion of the Independent Reading Project.   

September 30 - October 4

I hope everyone enjoyed the three-day weekend! Here's what's on the agenda for this week:


MONDAY: No school for students, staff development day.

TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY: Journal warm-up. Go over the Carter passage as a whole class, looking for rhetorical devices. SOAPS, strategies for annotating, rhetorical analysis outline format. Name class bucket. 

Due:  Please read the Carter rhetorical analysis passage, and annotate it. Identify any of the rhetorical analysis strategies we've learned in class: ethos, logos, pathos, imagery.  Bring it with you to class, ready to share. 

Please find a cozy spot and some alone time and read 30 pages in your independent reading book. (If you chose a longer book, over 180 pages, go a bit further.)

Homework: Study for quiz on Thursday/Friday. 

Please read another 10 pages in your independent reading book, up to page 130 (a bit more if you chose a book that is longer).

THURSDAY/FRIDAY: Journal warm-up. Quiz covering vocabulary #4 and grammar. Receive special Tone Vocabulary sheet for next week. Receive rhetorical analysis outline format. As a whole class, create outline for Carter passage. Notes: tone. Musical tone exercise.

Due: Up to page 130 in independent reading book.

Homework: Finish the independent reading book this weekend and be ready to begin the end-of-book project next week.