British Lit--Thursday, November 5th

Objective: How does fear affect the boys on the Island?

1- Students wrote down times they were afraid and as a class we compiled a list of how fears affect us as humans--

• frozen, paralyzed by fear
• survival mode
• fight or flight
• selfishness kicks in--we save ourselves first
• Go against our values or what we think we would normally do
• denial
• panic 
• irrational thinking
• look to others for protection

2- Next we watched two scare tactics videos to confirm if our list of human behavior was, in fact, accurate. It was. 

3- We made a list of the various things the boys on the Island are afraid of--

• Beast 
• Not getting rescued
• themselves and the other boys
• losing power (jack and ralph)
• becoming savage

4- Students did an in class FRQ "How does fear affect the boys on the Island?"

focus on a strong thesis and analysis not summary. Analysis is the how, why, or insight and summary is the what. So if you are simply telling us what happened, you are summarizing. If you are telling is why or how it happened and providing insight or commentary, you are analyzing. If you were absent, please make this up by Wednesday, November 11th. 

Homework: Finish the book

American Lit--Wednesday, Nov 4

Objective: wrap up lessons on transcendental unit

1- Students read for 15
2- We watched Patagonia Video
(As students watched, they wrote down one example of each of the Transcendental Top 5) If you were absent, you'll need to watch this and find examples of

• Individualism
• Growth in Nature
• Optimism
• Over-Soul
• Anti-Society

3-Students had free time to work on their portfolio

Homework: Get working on Portfolio. Reminder--it is due on Thursday, November 12th.

The next two class periods (Friday and Tuesday) will be work days!!!

British Lit--Tuesday, November 3rd

Objective: What makes a good society

Students present their Islands!!!

We discuss the book and the ways in which the boys are "falling"

Homework:
chapters 9&10 and reading guide

American Lit--Monday, November 2

Objective: How do people exhibit transcendentalism in modern society?

1-Read
2-"Follow the Sun" song activity-- Example paragraph to use
3- Viewed the following videos

• I forgot my phone
• Zero Currency
• No Impact Man
• Russel Brand's view on transcendental meditation

4- Kids worked on their collages

Homework: Continue working on Portfolio

British Lit--Friday, October 31st

Happy Halloween and Happy Reading Day!!!

HW: Chapters 7&8 of Lord of the Flies with Reading Guide

American Lit--Thursday, October 30

Objective: How was Henry David Thoreau and What can we learn from his experience at Walden Pond?

1-Read 10-15 minutes
2-Watched Thoreau Prezi

3- In groups, students each took a paragraph from Walden and became the expert on that paragraph. They created a presentation and then taught the class about their section.

If you were absent, you'll need to make this up.

HW--Continue working on Portfolio

British Lit--Wednesday, October 29

Objective: What makes a good society?

Students discussed chapters 4&5 of Lord of the Flies 
Students finished their Islands--Will present on Tuesday of next week

Homework:
chapters 5&6 and reading guide
Bring book for Friday Reading Day!!!

American Lit--Tuesday, October 27

Objective: What does it mean to be an individual?

1- Students read for 10 minutes
2- We spent a few minutes going over the Transcendental Portfolio

3- We completed a Mix and Mingle--students took quotes from the essay "Self-Reliance" and discussed/mingle-talked about their quotes with each other. As they did so, they were able to better understand what the main idea is.

4- Next, students wrote in their journal, predicting WHAT they think the essay "Self-Reliance" will be about.

5- Students read the essay with the teacher!!! We discussed and pulled out the main idea.

6- We watched the following video How to Be Alone and made connections to Self-Reliance.

Homework: Begin working on Transcendental Portfolio :) Due on Thursday, November 12th

British Lit--Monday, October 26

Objective: What makes a good or functioning society?

1- We watched the Lost clip and discussed the following ideas:

• Why are these people struggling to get along?
• What does the following quote mean, "If we can't live together, we're going to die alone."
• What is one of the first things the boys do when they gather?
• learn names
• create rules
• elect a leader
• establish expectations
• explore
• CREATE a SOCIETY
• What does this show us about the boys at this point in the novel?

2- We characterized Jack, Piggy, and Ralph and discussed the first two chapters of the novel.

3- We broke into groups and began creating a society--see me for handout. 

Homework: Read chapters 3&4 and complete reading guide

American Lit--Friday, Oct 23

Objective: Who was Emerson and what did he believe about Nature?

1- Students wrote down these three things about Emerson:

• He is known as the Father of Transcendentalism (because he started it)
• He attended Harvard
• His Father was a minister

2- Students read/annotated the essay "Nature" by Emerson. If you were absent, see me for this article.

3-Students viewed the Nature Powerpoint and completed this Free-Write Poem

Homework: Students typed up their Free-Verse poem 

British Lit--Thursday, October 22

Objective: Who makes a good member of society?

1- Students got new seats
2-Students completed a critical thinking activity--who should survive?
3-We discussed the hw

Homework: Read chapters 1&2 of Lord of the Flies and complete the reading guide. Remember we will check for three things: the answer, the quote it came from directly from the text, and the page number.

American Lit--Tuesday, Oct 21

Objective: What is transcendentalism and how does it fit into the literary time periods?

1-Students got new seats
2-Students read for 15 minutes
3- Viewed Transcendentalism PREZI

4- Students worked on their collage--cut out pictures that they feel represent the Transcendental Top Five.

Homework: NONE

British Lit-- Monday, October 20

Objective: How well do I understand Macbeth?

1-Students participated in their Socratic Seminar--this was also their test for the unit. If you were gone this day, you'll need to come in the morning and take that.

2- We discussed what we can learn from Macbeth.

3- We checked out our next novel--Lord of the Flies

Homework: NONE

American Lit--Wednesday, October 14th

Objective: What is transcendentalism?

Students spent the day in the writing lab doing a webquest on transcendenalism?

homework: Get all late work in

British Lit--Tuesday, October 13

Objective: Review your Macbeth papers to ensure you are on the right track.

Print off Jaynes Check-list and spend the period reviewing your paper.

Please leave a copy of your rough draft with the sub.

Please enjoy your break and know that on the day we return, your final paper is due and we will hold our socratic seminars.

American Lit--Tuesday, Oct 6

Who was Edgar Allan Poe?

1-Students finished in class test on The Crucible
2- Students watched the following bio on Edgar Allan Poe

Homework: Work on tuberculosis article--read, annotate, and answer questions. 

British Lit--Monday, October 5

Objective: Better understand Act IV of Macbeth

Students watched Act 4

Students completed this prompt:

Diary Entry

Lady Macbeth has just learned that Macduff’s family has been murdered. She knows her husband ordered it. She now knows a lot of things about her husband she was ignorant to when she first strong-armed him into killing King Duncan.

Write a journal entry for Lady Macbeth at this point in the play. Use her voice—no Shakespeare language necessary

10 minutes

Homework: Complete ACT 4 reading guide (see me for this) and come ready to finish the play on Friday. 

American Lit--Friday, October 2

Objective: Students took The Crucible test

If you were absent, you'll need to come in before school and take this exam. This needs to be taken before Fall break.

British Lit--Thursday, October 1

Objective: How can I better analyze Act III of Macbeth?

1- Students took vocab quiz
2- We discussed the Macbeth Analysis Question paper.
Rough draft due Tuesday, October 13th
Final due Tuesday, October 20th

3-We viewed Act III of Macbeth and complete reading guide

Homework: Act III reading guide

American Lit--Wednesday, Sept 30

Objective: Continue working on Body Map with groups. Students finished those in class.

Some classes were able to work on the modern-day connection assignment but other classes did not get to this. Check with me if you were absent as to whether or not your class did this.

Homework: Review themes for The Crucible written paragraph test next time.

British Lit--Tuesday, Sept 29

Objective: REading day :)

Homework: Study for vocab test. Act 2 reading guide due next time.

American Lit--Monday, Sept 28th

Objective: What is characterization? And how can I better understand/analyze John and Abigail?

In groups, students worked on a body map where they focused on John and Abigail's thoughts, feelings, actions, and desires.

Homework: None

British Lit--Friday, September 25

Objective: How can I better understand Act 2 of Macbeth?

1- Good Angel/Bad Angel

2- View Act 2

3- Work on Act 2 Reading Guide

Homework: Finish Act 2 Reading Guide AND bring a book for Reading Tuesday!!!

American Lit--Thursday, Sept 25

Objective: Who was responsible for John Proctor's death? Who contributed to his death?

1-Students finished the play "The Crucible"
2- Students worked on Responsibility Pie Chart

Homework: Finish the Responsibility Pie Chart--including the back!

British Lit--Wednesday, September 23

Objective: How can I better understand Macbeth ACT 1.

1- Reviewed the plot, characters, and themes from ACT 1.

2. Watched ACT 1 of Macbeth--PBS version--while students filled out their Macbeth 1 packets.

3. Discussed/Analyzed while we watched and after.

Homework: Macbeth ACT 1 packet--
continue studying for your vocab quiz--Tuesday!!!

REMINDER--Originally the plan was to have reading Friday. However, we are going to study ACT 2 on Friday and switch our reading day to Tuesday. So come Friday ready for ACT 2 and come Tuesday with a reading book

American Lit--Tuesday, Sept 22

Objective: How does fear affect the characters in "The Crucible?"

1- Review the Story--pre-viewing overview

2- Watch the first half of the play

Homework: NONE

British Lit--Monday, September 21

Objective: How can I better understand Shakespeare's English?

1- Watched two movie trailers--10 Things I hate about you and She's the Man.
Kids love these movies and enjoy watching them. They also realize that these are both based on Shakespeare plays. Shakespeare's plays are actually very interesting and entertaining, but kids struggle to access the "cool stories" because of the unfamiliar use of language.

2- We went over a handout to help kids Tackle Shakespeare.

3- Students broke into groups and each group was assigned a scenario ( a theme related to Macbeth). Students were required to write a scene of their scenario in which they used Shakespeare's techniques. They acted their skit for the rest of the class.

Homework: Shakespeare Vocabulary--due next time. Quiz on these words on Friday!!!

American Lit--Friday, Sept 18

Objective:  How does fear affect our actions? What is mass hysteria? Why did Arthur Miller write "The Crucible?"

Skill of the day--Students read from their novels for 15 minutes

Activities/Schedule for the day
1- Students completed a free write and then we discussed these as a class--Write about a time when you were so afraid that you did or thought irrationally. 

• Paranoid
• We give up our values
• We believe things we normally wouldn't believe
• We become selfish and often only think of ourselves
• We take "Flight" mode
• sometimes we are so afraid, we hurt others
• Irrational thoughts and behavior
• Physically, fear can affect us
• lose control of our actions temporarily

2- Watched a video clip from the TV series "Scare Tactics." Discussed why and how fear allows us to do things we wouldn't normally do.

3- Presentation on the Salem Witch Trials and how their fear drove them to act irrationally. To view
Salem Witch Hunts/Mass Hysteria

4- Students watched a clip about the Salem Witch Trials 

Began Homework as a class--Students wrote a paragraph answering the following prompt--tThis is homework and needs to by typed up!!!

This is for a grade..not pass/fail.      Mass Hysteria Paragraph

Homework: Finish Mass Hysteria Paragraph

British Lit--Thursday, September 17

Objective: How do the Anglo-Saxons characterize Evil?

Students worked on Monster Body Map--If you were absent, come see me for modified instructions since this was done in groups.

Students had the entire class period to complete this.

Homework: NONE

American Lit--Wednesday, Sept 16

Objective: Who were the Puritans? How did they live their lives?

Skill of the Day--Read for 15 minutes

1- Puritan Inference Game. Students looked at pictures of Puritans and made inferences about who they were and how they lived their lives. Broke into groups and had a relay--who can write down the most efficient list as a group.

2- Students watched a short video clip about the difference between Puritans and Pilgrims

3- Students read Jonathan Edwards sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."

• How do they view life and God?
• What motivates them?
• What is important to them?

Students made connections to the text by walking across the Pit of Hell/ Students also annotated and made connections to the text.

 3- Discuss the Puritan Value and beliefs-- Answer the following three questions:

• How is God portrayed in this sermon? How to the Puritans view God and their relationship with him?
• What tactics does Jonathan Edward--the preacher--use to motivate the Puritans? FEAR!!!
• What do the Puritans value? Their relationship with God and others' relationship with God. They tend to judge others for their choices because they all live under the fear of the wrath of God. It makes them feel better that God hates them if they know God hates their neighbor because he didn't go to Church last Sunday.

Homework: Click on the assignment below. This is due at the beginning of class on Friday.

Puritan Research Assignment

Use the following websites to look up your answers:

History.com/topics/Puritanism

Pbs.org/godinamerica/people/puritans

wikipedia

British Lit--Tuesday, Sept 15

Objective: What is an Epic?


1- We read page 2 and discussed the characteristics of an Epic--Students broke into groups and analyzed the movie of their choice (Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Star Wars) and found evidence that the ten characteristics were present in these epic films.

2- We watched a clip from the film "Brave" 9:30-14:00. As students watched, they wrote down answers to the following questions: What was important to these people? What did they value? Describe their way of life.

or the following two youtube clips

watch minutes 4:17-5:20


watch entire clip

Discussed Stock Epithets and Kennings--see packet.

Homework: Read pages Beowulf poem and annotate for the following questions: How do the Anglo-Saxons characterize Evil? --> Look for characterization of Grendel/Grendel's mother. How do they characterize Good? --> Look for characterization of Beowulf.

If you were absent, see me for packet as soon as possible so you can read the poem.

American Lit--Monday, Sept 14

Objective--Took the test on theme.

Students read a story, extracted the theme, and wrote a paragraph arguing that theme.

Homework: None

British Lit--Friday, September 11

Objective: What are the various themes in "The Lady of Shalott?"

1- Finished posters/presented posters

2- Discussed Sept. 11

3-Reading FRIDAY!!!

Homework: NONE

American Lit--Thursday, Sept 9

Objective: What is theme and how do I get better at writing about it?

1- Students read for the first 15 minutes of class to support the 30 Book Challenge

2- Students took paragraph quiz

3- As a class, we read "Fish Cheeks" and then students wrote their own paragraph defending the theme they feel stands out.

4- Teacher (s) walked around the room helping students correct mistakes.

Homework: Test next time on paragraph and theme

British Lit--Wednesday, Sept 9

Objective: What is theme and how can I find it in The Lady of Shalott?

1. Students completed a movie theme song activity by listening to movie theme songs and practicing finding topic theme thesis. Handout

2. Students watched the following youtube reading of The Lady of Shalott . While listening, students really tried to identify the topics from the poem in order to eventually figure out the theme.

3. In small groups of 3-5 (If you were absent, do this alone) students came up with the theme and drew a picture (8x11 printer paper) of the theme--written out--and then a visual to accompany it.

Homework: BRING BOOK for READING DAY FRIDAYs

American Lit--Tuesday, Sept 8

What is theme and how do I write an effective paragraph about it?

1- Students read for 15 minutes

2- Students took notes Body Paragraph prezi

3- Students read one fable and practiced writing about the theme.

Homework: Study for the body paragraph quiz AND bring a book to read

British Lit--Friday, September 4th

Objective: What did I learn about interpreting texts?

Students took name quiz
Students took in class essay--this can be made up anytime before school or right at the beginning of lunch.
Students spent the rest of the period reading--Reading Fridays!!!

Homework:
Finish the Lady of shalott poem analysis

American Lit--Thursday, September 3rd

Objective:

How do I find the theme in multiple genres?

We looked at multiple genres today in groups (stations) and practiced extracting theme.

This took the entire period and must be made up if you were gone.

Homework: Continue reading for the 30 book Challenge

British Lit--Wednesdays, September 2nd

Objective: How have various artists interpreted "Icarus?"

As a class, we discussed and analyzed the image and the poem.

Musee des Beaux Arts – by W.H. Auden
About suffering they were never wrong,
The old Masters: how well they understood
Its human position: how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking
dully along;
How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting
For the miraculous birth, there always must be
Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating
On a pond at the edge of the wood:
They never forgot
That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course
Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot
Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.
In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away
Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may
Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,
But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone
As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green
Water, and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen
Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,
Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.

Other paintings

Other poems

Even More poems

Other essays

CHEAT Sheet--come see me for this.

Homework:

1- Bring a book to read for Friday reading Day

2- Work on Lady of Shalott--due Wednesday, September 9th

x

American Lit--Tuesday, September 1

Objective: What is theme and how do I identify it?

1- Students listened to various theme songs and practiced identifying topics.
2- As a class, we practiced turning the topics into themes-- and then thesis statements.

Homework: Bring a book to read the first 15 minutes of class

British Lit--Monday, August 31st

Objective:
How did you guys interpret the myth?

1- Practice names-in class prompt about your art piece. Then when I grade your piece, I know what you were thinking.

2- Silent Art Gallery Walk-- come see me for instructions

3- Discussed our interpretations


Homework: None

American Lit--Friday, August 28

Objective: Getting to know each other and our new books!

1-Students spent the first 20-30 minutes playing Name Snake.
2-Students spent the rest of the period reading their books they brought to class.

Homework:
Bring a book to class each period

British Lit--Thursday, August 27

Objective: What is "interpretation" or "analysis?"

1- We practiced names for the upcoming name quiz-- Quiz will be Friday, September 4th.
2-We read the Icarus Myth as a class. See image below

3. We watched two interpretations of the myth and asked ourselves the questions " How is this author interpreting the myth and how do I know that?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yp_igX-sDs -- Jim Henson version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UXG0Zkkzx4 -- Mythic Warriors version (start at 16:20)

4. Discussed how the two were different and what each version represented based on various choices the author made.


5. Why would two authors read the same myth and interpret them in such different ways?

• personal experience
• Moral beliefs
• What texts we've already read
• Biases
• etc.

Therefore--there are mulitple ways to interpret a text as long as you have the evidence to back it up.

Homework: Interpreting Meaning through Art

Due Monday, August 31st

American Lit--first three days of class

Welcome to the blog!

The first three days of school were as followed:

1- Day one we went over our social contract. We spent time getting to know one another.
2- Day 2 we had pictures and played the disclosure document riddle game. For a disclosure doc, see Mrs. Jaynes
Day 3 I introduced the 30 Book Challenge. Students went to the library to get their potential reading list completed.

HW-- get disclosure doc signed. Bring Composition book to class. Bring book to class from here on out!

British Lit-- First three days of school :)

Welcome to the blog!

The first three days of school were as followed:

1- Day one we went over our social contract. We spent time getting to know one another.
2- Day 2 we had pictures and played the disclosure document riddle game. For a disclosure doc, see Mrs. Jaynes
Day 3 I introduced the 30 Book Challenge. Students went to the library to get their potential reading list completed.

HW-- get disclosure doc signed. Bring Composition book to class.