Friday, September 30, 2016

Friday, September 30

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

Homework check on response journals.
First Encounters vocabulary quiz.

Discussed Bradford's "Of Plymouth Plantation." 
Students continued drafting their compare/contrast essays on explorers.

DUE DATES

TUESDAY, October 4: Share essays with writing groups for peer revision conferences.

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Thursday, September 29

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

Discussion of Pilgrims' historical context.  Read Build Background (81) and biographical sketch of William Bradford (90).
Assigned homework: reading the excerpt from Bradford's "Of Plymouth Plantation" with a response journal of at least three entries.

Reviewed how to organize a compare and contrast essay.
Students continued drafting an essay comparing how Columbus and the authors of"La Relacion" (73--76) The Travels of Marco Polo (77) seem to have felt about the natives of the countries they visited, supported by evidence from the text.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, September 30: First Encounters vocabulary quiz.
TUESDAY, October 4: Share essays with writing groups for peer revision conferences.

HOMEWORK for FRIDAY, September 30

Read Bradford's "Of Plymouth Plantation" (82--87).  Write a response journal on three different passages from the text.
You can comment on

  • Parts where you are confused or think others might be
  • Parts where you are surprised by what you read
  • Parts where you can make inferences about how the Pilgrims see one another, the world, or the Indians they come in contact with
  • Any parts that are especially interesting, or that get you thinking and/or making connections.
Be sure to record the page number in parentheses next to any passages you quote.

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Wednesday, September 28

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

Short class today due to club day.
Warm up: choice of reading or vocabulary study.  Quiz Friday!

Discussed how to organize a compare and contrast essay.
Students began drafting an essay comparing how Columbus and the authors of"La Relacion" (73--76) The Travels of Marco Polo (77) seem to have felt about the natives of the countries they visited, supported by evidence from the text.


DUE DATES

FRIDAY, September 30: First Encounters vocabulary quiz.

Tuesday, September 27

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

Homework check; gave feedback on Columbus paragraphs.
Warm up: choice of reading or vocabulary study.  Quiz Friday!

Read, marked with 3--4 Post-it Notes, and discussed possible inferences about how de Vaca perceived the Indians he met, from "La Relacion" (73--76).
Began reading the excerpt from The Travels of Marco Polo (77) marking with Post-it Notes 1--2 passages allowing inferences about how Marco Polo perceived the natives of the countries he visited.

HOMEWORK: Finish reading and marking the excerpt from The Travels of Marco Polo. Due tomorrow! We will be using these notes, and those on the Log of Christopher Columbus, to begin writing a compare and contrast essay in class.


DUE DATES

FRIDAY, September 30: First Encounters vocabulary quiz.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Monday, September 26

HONORS AMERICAN LIT
Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

Discussed inferences we can  make from the log of Christopher Columbus (67--68) about Columbus's character and attitudes toward the inhabitants of the island where he landed in the New World.
Discussed how to use quotes as evidence in essay writing.

HOMEWORK: referring to the Post-its and thinking of our discussion of the Columbus text, write a paragraph, citing at least three quotes from the passage, supporting what we can infer about his attitude toward the native people he met. Due tomorrow!

Read introductory material to "La Relacion."
(We will be writing a Compare and Contrast essay relating "La Relacion," Columbus's log, and an excerpt from the Travels of Marco Polo.)



DUE DATES

TUESDAY September 27: HOMEWORK: referring to the Post-its and thinking of our discussion of the Columbus text, write a paragraph, citing at least three quotes from the passage, supporting what we can infer about his attitude toward the native people he met.

FRIDAY, September 30: First Encounters vocabulary quiz.

Friday, September 23, 2016

Friday, September 23

HONORS AMERICAN LIT
Wrap up for open responses on The Tempest.
Introduced First Encounters vocabulary on Quizlet.
Read an excerpt from the log of Christopher Columbus (67--68) and used Post-It notes as annotation markers for

  • Confusing passages or unknown words
  • Clues about Columbus's character and attitudes toward the inhabitants of the island where he landed in the New World.

Began discussing inferences and textual evidence; we will wrap this up on Monday.



DUE DATES

MONDAY September 26: Read historical background on the First Encounters unit in your textbooks: pages 66--68.


FRIDAY, September 30: First Encounters vocabulary quiz.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Thursday, September 22

HONORS AMERICAN LIT
Unit Test on The Tempest.


DUE DATES

THURSDAY September 22: Unit test on The Tempest. (THIS IS A CHANGE.)

FRIDAY, September 30: First Encounters vocabulary quiz.

Wednesday, September 21

HONORS AMERICAN LIT
Review for unit test


DUE DATES

THURSDAY September 22: Unit test on The Tempest. (THIS IS A CHANGE.)

FRIDAY, September 23: First Encounters vocabulary quiz.

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Tuesday, September 20

HONORS AMERICAN LIT
Short class due to early release day schedule + picture day.This class taught by a sub in Ms. Bishop's absence.


DUE DATES
MONDAY September 19: Vocabulary quiz on The Tempest Part 2 vocabulary. (THIS IS A CHANGE.)
THURSDAY September 21: Unit test on The Tempest. (THIS IS A CHANGE.)

FRIDAY, September 23: First Encounters vocabulary quiz. 

Monday, September 19, 2016

Monday, September 19

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

Vocabulary quiz on The Tempest, Part 2.
Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

Check-in around comprehension of the script of The Tempest.
Students highlighted difficult passages from Act 1; class worked out the gist of the passage, then worked out confusing vocabulary and word order issues to reach a clearer understanding.

HOMEWORK: As test prep, review the script of The Tempest from Act 2 to the end, and highlight at least three confusing passages, circling unfamiliar words.

(We will continue to apply our close reading strategy in class tomorrow, as well as review the essay test grading rubric and a strategy for approaching my open response questions.)


DUE DATES
MONDAY September 19: Vocabulary quiz on The Tempest Part 2 vocabulary. (THIS IS A CHANGE.)
THURSDAY September 21: Unit test on The Tempest. (THIS IS A CHANGE.)

FRIDAY, September 23: First Encounters vocabulary quiz. 

Friday, September 16, 2016

Friday, September 16

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

Finished watching the stage version of The Tempest.
Watched 1.1 and 1.2 in film adaptation of the play; discussed differences.
Discussed freedom and obedience/submission to authority within the play.


DUE DATES
MONDAY September 16: Vocabulary quiz on The Tempest Part 2 vocabulary. (THIS IS A CHANGE.)
WEDNESDAY September 21: Unit test on The Tempest. (THIS IS A CHANGE.)

FRIDAY, September 23: First Encounters vocabulary quiz. 

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Thursday, September 15

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

Finished reading The Tempest.
Announced Tuesday's test: review characters, and re-read and review the script and the packet in preparation. 
Began watching Acts 4 and 5 of the stage play.


DUE DATES
FRIDAY September 16: Vocabulary quiz on The Tempest Part 2 vocabulary.
TUESDAY September 20: Unit test on The Tempest.
FRIDAY, September 23: First Encounters vocabulary quiz. 

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Wednesday, September 14

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

Warm up: Choice of vocabulary review or silent reading.

Continued reading Acts 4 and 5; now on page 23 in our scripts.


DUE DATES
Vocabulary quiz on The Tempest Part 2 vocabulary Friday, September 16.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Tuesday, September 13

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

Warm up: Choice of vocabulary review or silent reading.
Finished watching Act 3 in the Stratford Shakespeare Festival production of The Tempest.
Began reading Act 4; now on page 19 in our scripts.



DUE DATES
Vocabulary quiz on The Tempest Part 2 vocabulary Friday, September 16.

Monday, September 12, 2016

Monday, September 12

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.
Read Act 3.
Began watching Act 3 in the Stratford Shakespeare Festival production of The Tempest.



DUE DATES
Vocabulary quiz on The Tempest Part 2 vocabulary Friday, September 16.

Friday, September 9, 2016

Friday, September 9

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

The Tempest Part 1 vocabulary quiz.
Finished watching Act 2 in the Stratford Shakespeare Festival production of The Tempest.
Discussion of masters and servants as shown in The Tempest.



DUE DATES
Vocabulary quiz on The Tempest Part 2 vocabulary Friday, September 16.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Thursday, September 8

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

10 minutes for independent reading or vocabulary review.
Finished reading Act 2 of The Tempest.  (Now on p. 14 of our abbreviated script.)
Began watching Act 2 in the Stratford Shakespeare Festival production of The Tempest.



DUE DATES
First reading log due Tuesday, September 6.
First vocabulary quiz Friday, September 9
Signed syllabus and movie form due Friday, September 9.

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Wednesday, September 7

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

Introduced vocabulary for Part 2 of The Tempest on Quizlet.
Finished watching 1.1 and 1.2 in the Stratford Shakespeare Festival production of The Tempest. Began reading Act 2 of The Tempest.  (Now on p. 9 of our abbreviated script.)



DUE DATES
First reading log due Tuesday, September 6.
First vocabulary quiz Friday, September 9
Signed syllabus and movie form due Friday, September 9.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Tuesday, September 6

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

Finished reading The Tempest, 1.2.  (Now on p. 8 of our abbreviated script.)
Began watching 1.1 and 1.2 in the Stratford Shakespeare Festival production of The Tempest.


DUE DATES
First reading log due Tuesday, September 6.
First vocabulary quiz Friday, September 9
Signed syllabus and movie form due Friday, September 9.

Friday, September 2, 2016

Friday, September 2

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

Wrapped up notes on The Tempest. 
Began reading The Tempest, 1.1 and 1.2.  (Now on p. 7 of our abbreviated script.)


DUE DATES
First reading log due Tuesday, September 6.
First vocabulary quiz Friday, September 9
Signed syllabus and movie form due Friday, September 9.

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Thursday, September 1

HONORS AMERICAN LIT

Reading quiz on The Tempest background packet.
Checked in around comprehension of the packet.
Continued notes on The Tempest. (Now on last slide.)
DUE DATES
First reading log due Tuesday, September 6.
First vocabulary quiz Friday, September 9
Signed syllabus and movie form due Friday, September 9.