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Monday, 10/16/17
Tuesday, 10/17/17
Wednesday, 10/18/17
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10/09/17 - Monday
We will be in the media center completing a WebQuest to prepare for our reading of the graphic novel Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. Please click HERE to download the WebQuest. You will work in class to complete this, print, and turn in by the end of class. Any WQ's not finished by the end of class are due for homework tomorrow. This will be a major grade. 10/10/17 - Tuesday Students will receive and define the week 5 VFL words (also located on the sidebar of the blog) and take a 10th grade common formative assessment from CommonLit on capitalism. The assessment is one short response question and 5 multiple choice questions. Common formative assessments are taken in all 10th lit classes and the data is used to inform teaching and learning targets for the 10th grade. After the CFA we will begin background and discussion for the graphic novel being read in all 10th lit classes, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. To see today's presentation, click HERE. Students will also watch a brief clip from the beginning of the 2012 film Argo, which details the events of the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the U.S. hostage crisis which ensued. You can find the clip HERE. 10/11/17 - Wednesday **PSAT** All 10th grade students will take the PSAT for the first half of the day. When administration of the PSAT has concluded, students will attend 3rd and 4th blocks only. 3rd and 4th block will conclude discussion and activities from the previous day and/or complete 20 minutes of independent reading. 10/12/17 - Thursday **EARLY RELEASE** All students will attend 1st and 2nd blocks only. Early release for students. 2nd block will complete additional vocabulary practice. Students should complete a minimum of three of the following vocabulary activities using a minimum of 5 vocabulary words and turn them in by the end of class. Click HERE for additional vocabulary practice. Students who finish early will complete additional activities or 20 minutes of independent reading. 10/13/17 - Friday Students will have 10 minutes to study for the Week 5 VFL Quiz, taken today. Following the quiz, students will complete 15 minutes of independent, silent reading. After reading students will utilize the SpringBoard text to learn more about the form of the graphic novel, as illustrated on pg. 142. Students will then label the different parts of a graphic novel including dialogue bubbles, panels, gutters, and more. Students will discuss and answer question 1 on pg. 150 in the SB text regarding the purpose of graphic novels. Students should think about the effect of dialogue on pacing for the reader and the inclusion of visual elements and their impact on reader interest and understanding. Finally, students will complete notes on the 6 themes present in the graphic novel Persepolis. For the presentation on themes in Persepolis, click HERE. For the note sheet on Persepolis' themes, click HERE. Students are only to fill out the description of the theme today. As we read in the future, we will cite examples of evidence of each theme. Monday, 10/02/17
Students will complete 15 minutes of independent reading to begin the period and copy and define their week 4 VFL words. We will continue our study of narratives and culture by reading an excerpt from the autobiography Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane. Mathabane is a native of Johannesburg, South Africa and a survivor of apartheid. He is a college professor who has written about his experiences growing up in the racially charged and segregated times during South African apartheid. Students will answer questions 1-7 on pg. 125-128. Tuesday, 10/03/17 Students will go over the week 4 VFL words, checking and/or copying the correct definitions. We will continue our study of narratives and culture by reading the essay Pick One by David Matthews. Matthews is a biracial man (Jewish and African American) who grew up in racially segregated Baltimore in the 1970s and 1980s. Pick One is a personal narrative reflecting his difficulty in understanding his racial identity during those times. Students will answer questions 1-4 accompanying the text in their SpringBoard text. Wednesday, 10/04/17 - Friday, 10/05/17 Students will begin an intensive overview and study of the narrative including types and elements. They will take guided notes during a presentation and lecture on narratives and narrative elements, to be accompanied by clips from the film Princess Bride. Guided notes can be accessed by clicking HERE and the presentation can be accessed HERE. VFL Week 5 Quiz will be given on Friday at the beginning of class. EXTRA CREDIT ALERT** For extra credit students can access and use the Narrative Breakdown HERE and write a unique narrative over the weekend. Students should use their notes to guide their writing and include all of the five elements of a narrative. Monday, 09/18/2017
To extend student learning about Appalachian culture and memoirs, we will read an excerpt from the novel October Sky, by Homer Hickam. Homer Hickam is from the small coal-mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia. Like Lyons, he grew up in rural Appalachia. He is a Vietnam Veteran, an author, and a former NASA engineer. His novel Rocket Boys / October Sky tells the story of he and his friends being inspired by the launch of Sputnik to begin designing and launching rockets against all odds. Students will read the following excerpt of Chapter 1, titled Coalwood and complete discussion questions for the chapter. For homework, students should look up Homer Hickam and write a two paragraph response explaining how his background and culture influenced his writing. Tuesday, 09/18/2017 Using their excerpt, students will identify sensory language/imagery in Hickam's writing. With this imagery, students will design a travel poster for Coalwood. This creative project asks students to 1) identify sensory language 2) understand how sensory language is used by author's to create a visual picture for readers. Posters will be due at the end of class. During the last 15 minutes of class, we will begin viewing the film October Sky, which is rated PG. This film provides unique cross-curricular insights into history, science, and literature. Learn more about this film HERE. Wednesday, 09/20/17 Students will begin the class discussing October Sky. Does the film accurately reflect the image written by Homer Hickam in his novel? How can screenwriters and directors use the sensory language written by authors like Hickam to develop a vivid and accurate setting in a film? What inspires "the rocket boys" of Coalwood? What obstacles do they face? How does the culture of Coalwood (and mining towns in rural Appalachia in general) affect the boys and their dreams of working for NASA? Continue film viewing. Thursday, 09/21/17 SUBSTITUTE. Students will read the excerpt of the memoir Funny in Farsi in their SpringBoard texts on pg. 119. They will analyze the narrative and identify key narrative components, as well as identify and analyze aspects of culture presented in literature. Funny in Farsi is the memoir of Firoozeh Dumas, an Iranian writer. Growing up the daughter of a Fulbright scholar, she lived in both Iran and America and has written several books about the experience of growing up in Middle-Eastern culture. Students will complete questions 1-6 following the text, and also will complete a chart comparing and contrasting the memoirs "Coalwood" and "Funny in Farsi." All work is due at the end of class. Friday, 09/22/2017 Students will take the Week 3 VFL quiz and complete all viewing and activities for the film October Sky. Monday, 09/11/2017
School Canceled - Inclement Weather Tuesday, 09/12/2017 School Canceled - Inclement Weather Wednesday, 09/13/2017 At the beginning of class, students will have 10 minutes to study for their Week 2 VFL Quiz. After the quiz, students will copy and define the Week 3 words. After the successful completion of Unit 1 in SpringBoard, we will move on to Unit 2: Cultural Perspectives. This unit focuses on elements of narrative writing, such as dialogue, and cultural experiences. To prepare, students will complete a narrative activity that teaches them to identify elements of narrative including characterization, dialogue, and point-of-view. Students will read an excerpt from the Washington Irving story "The Devil and Tom Walker." They will complete a chart identifying key narrative elements and then begin planning how they will complete or finish the story. Students should use proper narrative elements and include dialogue in their story. Thursday, 09/14/2017 Students will continue their narrative writing for the fictional story "The Devil and Tom Walker." Completed narratives are due by the end of the class period. Friday, 09/15/2017 We will review the Week 3 VFL words and go over correct definitions to prepare for the quiz next week. After review, students will complete 20 minutes of independent reading. To begin Unit 2, we will read the poem "Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyons. Lyons is an award-winning author of children's books who grew up in the small Appalachian community of Harlan, Kentucky. Students will analyze the poem to identify sensory language, structure, and technique. Learn more about sensory language (also called imagery) by clicking HERE. Monday 09/04/2017
School Holiday - Labor Day Tuesday 09/05/2017 Embedded Assessment #2 (SpringBoard text pg. 107-108) Students have spent unit 1 learning about the elements of argument and persuasive writing as well as reading texts that highlight expression of various cultures. To wrap up the unit, students will work on a collaborative essay, called a synthesis essay. To learn more about a synthesis essay, click HERE. Your assignment is to collaborate with your peers to write an essay that responds to the following synthesis prompt: To what extent does one's culture inform the way one views others and the world? Be sure to support your claim with evidence from at least three different texts and/or media that we have read/viewed this unit, as well as with personal experience and insights. The goal of the synthesis essay is for students to 1) work in groups 2) synthesize, or bring together evidence, from multiple sources to form a thoughtful opinion on a single topic (how your culture can impact how you respond to the world and other people). Wednesday, 09/06/2017 Embedded Assessment #2 Continued... Thursday, 09/07/2017 Students should complete the EA #2 in class today and turn it in by the end of the period. Today also marks the end of the grading period. The class policy on late work is that no matter when turned in after the due date, the highest possible grade is a 70. Friday, 09/08/2017 Unit 1 Summative - Students will test over the information they have learned in unit 1 with a 20 question test. The test includes a reading passage, 10 reading comprehension/inferences questions, 5 literary device questions, and 5 academic vocabulary questions. After the test is completed, students will participate in a unique program hosted by the Wheeler HS Library, called speed dating a book. Students will have the opportunity to view books of different genres including romance, historical fiction, mystery, comedy, and more. At the end of the speed dating, students will have a chance to check out a book they liked. Students will also learn more about the policies of the library. Day One (08/28/2017)
A class newsletter for August will be sent home. The newsletter includes important reminders about class structure and policies and the bottom portion of the second page should be returned tomorrow, signed by parents. The newsletter can be accessed via the CLASS NEWSLETTER button on the right sidebar of the blog, or by clicking HERE. Today, students will focus on three learning goals: 1) Analyzing a poem and a short story for the authors' use of literary devices 2) Explain how specific stylistic choices support the development of tone and theme 3) Compare and contrast how two different authors explore similar subjects and themes. Students will read and annotate the poem "My Mother Pieced Quilts" by Teresa Paloma Acosta (click HERE for a copy of the poem) and the short story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker (click HERE for a copy of the story). Students should take care to note the use of figurative language. Figurative language includes imagery, symbolism, metaphors, and more. Learn about all the types of figurative language by clicking HERE. Students should then answer questions #1-2 on pg 74 and questions #4-8 on pg. 83-84. Day Two (08/29/17) Students will begin the day with an introduction to their new vocabulary program - the Vocabulary Football League. All 10th grade literature classes will be participating in the program. Students will be grouped into teams of 3-5 and assigned an NCAA team from the Power 5 Conference. Each Tuesday, students will be given 10 new words to study, and a quiz will take place each Monday (Monday Football). Students team scores will come from the collective scores of each member on the quiz. While all students will receive individual grades for their quizzes, students will collectively participate in a motivating and fun "game" with prizes for the winners. Eventually play will narrow to the best teams in each class playing in a playoffs and a championship. The hope of the 10th grade collaborative team is that this program will motivate students to study vocabulary and encourage each other. Following up our reading and study from yesterday, students will complete a Venn Diagram, comparing and contrasting the poem "My Mother Pieced Quilts" and the story "Everyday Use." Venn Diagrams will be due at the end of the block. The first VFL Quiz will take place on Tuesday, September 05 after the Labor Day weekend. Click HERE for Week 1 Vocab. Day One (08/21/17) Enjoy the solar eclipse! Day Two (08/22/17) Students will continue their study and discussion of cultural identity and how it impacts writing by reading an excerpt from Indian author Santha Rama Rau's memoir "By Any Other Name" starting on pg. 43 of their SpringBoard text. Students should annotate, looking for cultural elements that reveal a sense of the author's cultural identity. Learn more about what a memoir is HERE. After reading the text, students will complete questions #1-8 on pgs. 48-49 of the SpringBoard text. Day Three (08/23/17) Based on class discussion of the excerpt "By Any Other Name" and the experience of some immigrants at Ellis Island, students will complete an interactive tour of Ellis Island at Scholastic. For the tour, click HERE. Students should complete the following Web Quest as they tour Ellis Island - click HERE. Web Quests are due at the end of class, or must be finished for homework and turned in at the beginning of class on Thursday. Day Four (08/24/2017) After our virtual tour and Ellis Island WebQuest, students will begin the period by playing Immigration Survivor. The game presents different scenarios of new immigrants to the United States in the early 1900s at the peak of Ellis Island traffic. Students will guess whether immigrants are cleared for entrance into America, or deported due to their circumstances. To see the game, click HERE. After the Immigration Survivor game, students will read an excerpt from the cultural essay "Where Worlds Collide" by Pico Iyer (access HERE) about his experience living in culturally diverse southern California. Students will annotate, looking for allusions. To learn more about the literary device allusion, click HERE. When finished reading, students should answer questions 1-6 on pg. 65 of their SpringBoard text. Day Five (08/25/2017) Students will begin the class with 20 minutes of independent reading. For independent reading students may bring their own reading materials or select something from the class library. After quiet independent reading, students may work in groups if they need to complete the film study from last week for Mona Lisa Smile. When finished, we will begin a new film study, viewing the 2015 movie Brooklyn, rated PG13. Learn more about this Oscar-nominated film HERE. Brooklyn is based on the novel of the same name, by Irish author Colm Tóibín and tells the story of Irish immigrant Eilis Lacey to New York in the 1950s. Following yesterday's reading of When Worlds Collide by Pico Iyer, students will create a written response describing how Brooklyn, like Worlds Collide, juxtaposes the idea of the American Dream with the reality that new immigrants find. For this assignment, click HERE. Day One (08/14/17)
Students will 1) analyze a particular point-of-view regarding a cultural experience expressed in literature and art and 2) compare and contrast the representation of a subject in different media, using the biography and art of Frida Kahlo. Students will begin by watching the short film clip, The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo by PBS HERE. Students should take notes on how Kahlo expresses her life and culture through her art. Students will then study the same subject (Kahlo's life, culture, and art) as expressed in the excerpt from Frida, a Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera. Students should annotate the work, looking for examples of how Kahlo uses her art to express her culture. Working individually or as groups, students will complete questions 1-6 on pg. 35. After discussing the questions as a class, we will view and discuss the Kahlo painting Self-Portrait on the Borderline between Mexico and the United States. Finally, students will complete a multi-paragraph written response, discussing how Kahlo expresses her cultural identity in her art, drawing on examples from all media (film clip, biography excerpt, and painting). See the full color rendering of Kahlo's painting below. Day 2 (08/15/17) Embedded Assessment #1 - Students should plan to write a thorough essay explaining their cultural identity for the first common formative assessment of the year. All 10th grade lit students will complete the same formative assessment. Students should begin by reviewing the rubric for assessment 1 on pg. 58 of the SpringBoard text. What should a proficient or an exemplary essay include? Students should make a list of what they need to include in their essay to be successful based on the rubric. Afterward, students should begin brainstorming how they will write their essay. What will you include about your culture? How will you organize your writing? Students should complete the first draft of their essay in class or for homework. Successful essays will include basic elements of structure including an opening paragraph, a concluding paragraph, and transitions. Day 3 (08/16/17) Students should bring a completed draft of their essay to class for peer review. Working in pairs or groups, students will read each others essays, looking for mistakes and giving them a potential score based on the scoring guide (rubric) on pg. 58. After peer review, students will have 30 minutes to rewrite the final draft of their essay, due at the end of the period. Day 4 (08/17/17) After completing the first common assessment, students will continue reviewing cultural identity as presented in unit 1, by reading the poem, Legal Alien, on pg. 40. Students should annotate the poem, paying particular attention to the idea of juxtaposition. Juxtaposition is the arrangement of two or more things for the purpose of comparison. How does author Pat Mora use juxtaposition to explain her cultural identity? Listen to Pat Mora read the poem Legal Alien HERE. After reading the poem, students will answer questions 11-14 on pg. 41. Finally, students will complete viewing of the film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, comparing and contrasting the cultural views presented within. Completed venn diagrams will be due at the end of class. Day 5 (08/18/17) Students will have a period of independent reading (silent) for the first twenty minutes of class. If students do not like the books provided in the class library, they may bring their own book or magazine to class. After Independent Reading, students will view the film Mona Lisa Smile. Students will complete a film study activity, where they note how different characters either conform to or dissent from the "culture" of the time period presented in the movie. Students should consider 1) What is the culture of Wellesley College? What are the values of the women who work and attend there? 2) How do some characters refuse to conform to (agree with) the culture there? Mona Lisa Smile is rated PG13. Learn more about the film HERE. Students will complete the activity HERE due at the end of the movie. Going into Week 2, here is a potential sketch of the material we hope to cover.
Introduction to SpringBoard SpringBoard is the new English/Language Arts resource that Cobb County has acquired for grades 6-12. For 10th grade, the focus is world cultures. Each student will be given a textbook in which they can write. Textbooks will be kept IN CLASS. The replacement cost for a lost SpringBoard book will be $80. UNIT 1 - CULTURAL CONVERSATIONS Day 1 (08/07/17) As we begin unit 1, we will first take time to explore what learning goals we have in unit 1. Unit 1 includes a collection of poetry, short stories, and essays, all focusing on some element of cultural identity. What is cultural identity? Watch THIS VIDEO to learn more about what culture is. Students should be prepared to answer the essential questions: 1) What is my cultural identity? and 2) How do cultural experiences shape, impact, or influence our identity and perception? Students will begin to think about how culture can be defined. Students should complete the CULTURAL IDENTITY QUESTIONNAIRE to help them define their own cultural identity, as well as understand where other people's identity comes from. Day 2 (08/08/17) Students will begin SpringBoard Activity 1.3, "Exploring Cultural Identity" by discussing the difference between academic writing and personal/memoir writing. On pg 9, students will briefly read and attempt to "decode" the academic piece "What is Cultural Identity?" Students should note the purpose of the text, potential audience, and tone. Students will then read the more personal essay "Ethnic Hash" by Patricia J. Williams on pg 13. Students should annotate the piece as they read, making note of important ideas, terms they may not know, etc. Once finished reading, students should answer questions 10-12 on pg. 15. Students will then work in groups to create an "Ethnic Hash" collage, describing how each of their favorite foods reflect their culture. Day 3 (08/09/17) Students will continue their exploration of other cultures through writing, by reading the novel excerpt "Two KInds" by Amy Tan on pg. 21 of their SpringBoard text. Students will begin with a silent, individual reading and annotation of the text, paying special attention to conflict in the excerpt. Once finished reading, students will complete the Conflict Map, answering the following questions: 1) What is the main conflict in this story? 2) What causes this conflict? 3) How is the conflict resolved? 4) What are some other ways the conflict could have been resolved? Day 4 (08/10/17) Students will re-read "Two Kinds" and/or listen to the audio, available HERE. After reviewing the text, students will work in groups to answer questions 1-9 on pgs 30-31 of the SpringBoard text. Day 5 (08/11/17) Students will be introduced to Independent/Sustained Silent Reading. 1-2 times per week, students will independently and quietly any text of their choice. They may read books on their phone, but must show them to the teacher beforehand. We have a classroom library of texts, and students may also choose their own book, blog, or magazine. After independent reading, students will view the film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, furthering our discussion of cultural expression across different media. Students will complete a venn diagram, illustrating the differences and similarities between the cultures of Toula and Ian as portrayed in the medium of film. My Big Fat Greek Wedding is rated PG. Read more about this film HERE. |
DR. MEGHAN CONLEY
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