Honors 11--Friday, September 21

Objective: Get to know William Shakespeare

What we did today:
1- #3 ACT Concept--students need to continue studying these concepts for weekly quizzes.
2- We watched A&E's Biography on William Shakespeare
3- We reviewed last night's homework--class contest looking at the most interesting facts about William Shakespeare.

Homework:
Why should we study Shakespeare?
Go home and research what people are saying about this. Then write a 1/2 paper (double space times new roman) summarizing/explaining/answering the question--Why should we study Shakespeare? Use at least three different sites, blogs, articles, etc. to back up your ideas.
At the bottom of your paper, just copy and paste the website links (again, at least 3) that you used for your paper. This is a formal assignment--not just bullet points, but actual sentences and explanations as to why we should study him. 

If you read this and you want some extra points, print off a picture of the current book cover that you are reading--cut it out and bring it to me for my bulletin board. Consider your extra points a reward for actually taking the time to read the blog. 

English 10--Thursday, September 20

Objective: How can I use a "guided imagery" experience to enhance my narrative writing?

Because today was the PLAN test for sophomores, we only had 30 minute class periods.

Students came in and turned in their homework. ( typed up response to what topic they chose for their personal narrative and how it affected them or changed them in some way)

Next, students got comfortable in their desks by laying their heads down. I turned off the lights and played Enya while they listened to a "guided imagery."

After about 15 minutes, the music stops, the lights go on, and students put in their head phones. They free write for 10 minutes. During their free write, they are as creative as possible, hoping to capture images, ideas, sentences for their own personal narrative.


Homework: NONE

Honors 11--Wednesday, September 19

Objective: continue working on the theme for "The Lady of Shalott."

1- Took ACT Quiz 1
2- Got into groups to create visual and prepare presentation
3- Presented projects/analysis for "The Lady of Shalott"

Homework:
Research 10 interesting facts about William Shakespeare. INTERESTING! The top 5 students get a prize. Use various websites and dig for something unique.
THIS MUST BE TYPED--can be a list

English 10--Tuesday, September 18

Objective: How do I show and not tell in my writing?

1- Complete the Turning Points Graph

2- Look at overhead show vs Tell

3-Review Thought-Shots/Baby Steps: Click on link below for handout
https://docs.google.com/a/alpinedistrict.org/document/d/16YDs8pglBAmADDqWSfLb8-JS9GVqjW_DyrSwI-_EXe0/edit

4- Group write--Expand the moment! Each group has to expand one step of the story to create a funny, descriptive tale.

Homework:

Typed—Due next time!

 #1-Decide on which experience you are using for your personal narrative. (1-2 sentences)

 #2 Explain how that moment changed you or the lesson you learned from the experience. (3-4 sentences)

Honors 11--Monday, September 17

Objective: Practice extracting the theme from "The Lady of Shalott"

What we did today:
1- In small groups, practice topic--theme--thesis. Each student must show their own work.
2- Develop your thesis into a thesis driven analysis (3/4 -1 page hand-written)
 Your thesis statement will be the first sentence in your analysis. The rest of your paper will consist of quote sandwiches

• mini-claim
• example from text (quotes or references)
• explanation/tie back to your claim-thesis

Homework: Pink Handout 
This will all be typed- 
 

Based on what you have learned about writing a literary analysis essay, explain why the different examples are categorized into the different sections. Explain what makes them effective or not. (The underlined sentences are thesis statements.)

Then look at your analysis and compare it to the examples on the handout—annotate your paper for strong, developing, and not yet examples. Then critique your paper. 

Format to follow for your homework--click on link below

https://docs.google.com/a/alpinedistrict.org/document/d/1kjYw2frYYQ8gTk5SzgU-7h_HlfF3FMZIBhDCWEt6m6A/edit 

English 10--Friday, September 14

Objective: How do I pick a topic for my personal narrative?

1- Read complete a strategy
2- Reviewed static vs dynamic characters. Discussed how static characters don't change over the course of the story while dynamic characters do. As characters in our own lives, we are all dynamic characters because we experience things that change us--these are called Turning Points.
3- I showed the students all of my turning points and we discussed how they affected my life--impacted me in a way that changed me into who I am.
4- Next, I graphed those on a visual scale. It was easy to see that if I were choosing a topic for my personal narrative, I would want to choose one that was either a high or a low in my life because those were the experiences that affected me the most.
5-Students wrote down their own experiences/turning points in preparation to graph them next time.

Homework: None. Have a lovely Homecoming Weekend.
Mrs. Jaynes

Honors 11--Thursday, September 13

Objective:
How to prepare for the ACT and How do I extract the theme using the tools I have?

Here's what we did in class today:
1- Went over ACT POWER CONCEPT #2--If you missed this, come get the handout from me!
2- Topic---Theme---Thesis ( topics are usually one word) (Themes are universal truths that reveal something about humanity--a message or lesson) (Thesis Statements are specific to your book, poem, story, etc.)

Some students struggle with creating thesis statements for literature. Hopeful today helped alleviate some of that stress. I teach students a three step process that seems to truly resonate with many of them. Let's look at Harry Potter:
Topics in Harry Potter--friendship, love, death, good vs evil, hate, challenges, trials, loss, trust, revenge, power, challenge, immortality, etc. Typically, students can come up with a few topics on their own. This is a great start!
Themes in Harry Potter-- I take one topic (or a combination of them) and transform them into a universal truth or message. Love is more powerful than hate.
Thesis Statement for Harry Potter-- The third step in the process is to take the universal theme and make it specific to the thing I'm analyzing. In Harry Potter, Rowling uses the conflict between Harry and Voldermort to show that love is more powerful than hate.

Students practiced by listening to a theme song from a movie. Once they identified the movie, they went through the three steps until they had a polished thesis statement.

We practiced using Jekyll and Hyde and The Dark Knight.

Homework:
1- Digest ACT concepts. You are now responsible. Prepare and plan for pop quizzes.
2- Complete The Lady of Shalott handout. If you don't have this, come get it from me. I have extra copies.