Monday, March 31st (T)
• Due: Read Ch. 1-2 in Of Mice and Men.
• Class: Lesson on outlining; plagiarism exercises (warm up exercises continuing throughout the unit).
Tuesday, April 1st (W)
• Due: Continue taking notes; get started on your research paper outline.
• Class: Discussion of Mice and Men.
Wednesday, April 2nd (H)
• Due: Read Ch. 3-4 in Mice and Men.
• Class: Discussion; prepare for dramatic scenes.
Thursday, April 3rd (F)
• Due: Keep working on that research paper outline.
• Class: Perform dramatic scenes; discussion.
Friday, April 4th (S)
• Due: Keep working on that research paper outline.
• Class: Work day (you must bring your note cards, and I expect more than you had at the last check in!); conference time available.
Monday, April. 7th (U)
• Class does not meet.
Tuesday, April 8th (M)
• Due: Formal research paper outline; finish reading Mice and Men.
• Class: Explain research presentation assignment; barometer debate.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Clarification
The calendar this week indicates a written response "to be announced" for the Steinbeck reading due on Monday. Instead of a written response, just read the assigned chapters carefully -- take notes if they are helpful to you -- and continue making progress on those research papers. Enjoy the weekend!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Week of March 17th
Monday, March 17th (U)
• Class does not meet today.
Tuesday, March 18th (M)
• Due: Draft of school committee statement (school committee members exempt).
• Class: Peer review of statements, strategy session. Research exercises on recognizing plagiarism; requirements for upcoming note card check.
Wednesday, March 19th (T)
• Due: School committee statements from all presenting today (no late days!).
• Class: School committee hearing on Huckleberry Finn. Meet quickly in Room 304 and then we’ll head up to the meeting together.
Thursday, March 20th (W)
• Due: You should be working on taking notes; school committee members should additionally be working on their statements.
• Class: Choice written response for Huckleberry Finn.
Friday, March 21st
• No school today. Enjoy the long weekend!
Monday, March. 24th (H)
• Due: School committee member statements (no late days!).
• Class: School committee hearing on Huckleberry Finn (final vote). Final reflection and discussion on Huck.
• Class does not meet today.
Tuesday, March 18th (M)
• Due: Draft of school committee statement (school committee members exempt).
• Class: Peer review of statements, strategy session. Research exercises on recognizing plagiarism; requirements for upcoming note card check.
Wednesday, March 19th (T)
• Due: School committee statements from all presenting today (no late days!).
• Class: School committee hearing on Huckleberry Finn. Meet quickly in Room 304 and then we’ll head up to the meeting together.
Thursday, March 20th (W)
• Due: You should be working on taking notes; school committee members should additionally be working on their statements.
• Class: Choice written response for Huckleberry Finn.
Friday, March 21st
• No school today. Enjoy the long weekend!
Monday, March. 24th (H)
• Due: School committee member statements (no late days!).
• Class: School committee hearing on Huckleberry Finn (final vote). Final reflection and discussion on Huck.
Update: Taking Notes
Remember that our first set of notes will be due on Tuesday, February 25th. It will help me out (and you too!) if you band them together, or even better, put them in a ziplock baggie.
My expectation is that you will have 30-40 note cards (depending on how “information rich” they are) or their equivalent (if you are taking notes electronically). Don’t panic, it goes faster than you might guess ... but don’t procrastinate either. Remember that breadth is just as important as depth at this stage of the game: I expect you to use 3-4 different sources. Note that you do not need to FINISH taking notes on one great source before moving on to the next, if it’s longer than an article, and probably shouldn’t. My experience is that students who are still stuck on one source by the note card check-in wind up writing weaker papers: it becomes harder to diversify your sources and the result often winds up being more of a book report than true synthesis.
Please review the grading criteria for this step:
And electronic notes can be taken in PowerPoint or Word:
If you are using any online sources that are not from unquestionably trustworthy sources (organizations that your teacher will have heard of, for example), please check them with me. I am highly skeptical of any website that does not have the oversight of an editor, even if the individual is or claims to be highly qualified. As always, don’t hesitate to drop me an email if you have any questions or concerns!
My expectation is that you will have 30-40 note cards (depending on how “information rich” they are) or their equivalent (if you are taking notes electronically). Don’t panic, it goes faster than you might guess ... but don’t procrastinate either. Remember that breadth is just as important as depth at this stage of the game: I expect you to use 3-4 different sources. Note that you do not need to FINISH taking notes on one great source before moving on to the next, if it’s longer than an article, and probably shouldn’t. My experience is that students who are still stuck on one source by the note card check-in wind up writing weaker papers: it becomes harder to diversify your sources and the result often winds up being more of a book report than true synthesis.
Please review the grading criteria for this step:
- Required number of note cards (or equivalent) is met: 30-40 cards
- Every scrap of information can be clearly tied back to a source (use a code to save yourself work!) and a page number (if applicable)
- Clear and systematic topic headings are used, and notes contain sufficient context that you (and I) can make some sense of them
- Notes cover appropriate breadth and depth of information: at least 3-4 sources
- Notes are legible
And electronic notes can be taken in PowerPoint or Word:
If you are using any online sources that are not from unquestionably trustworthy sources (organizations that your teacher will have heard of, for example), please check them with me. I am highly skeptical of any website that does not have the oversight of an editor, even if the individual is or claims to be highly qualified. As always, don’t hesitate to drop me an email if you have any questions or concerns!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Week of March 10th
Monday, March 10th (T)
• Due: Prepare for satire skits.
• Class: Satire skits: perform and discuss. Review satire in Huck Finn (worksheet).
Tuesday, March 11th (W)
• Due: Annotated works cited page.
• Class: Mini lesson on taking notes for the research paper.
Wednesday, March 12th (H)
• Due: Keep reading!
• Class: Creative writing exercise (found poetry, style imitation).
Thursday, March 13th (F)
• Due: Finish reading Huck Finn and post to blog.
• Class: Discuss the end of the novel. Assign roles and articles for mock school committee meeting.
Friday, March 14th (S)
• Due: Summary of two articles as assigned.
• Class: Discuss articles, strategize for school committee meeting.
Monday, March. 17th (U)
• Class does not meet.
Tuesday, March 18th (M)
• Due: School committee statements from all witnesses.
• Class: School committee hearings.
• Due: Prepare for satire skits.
• Class: Satire skits: perform and discuss. Review satire in Huck Finn (worksheet).
Tuesday, March 11th (W)
• Due: Annotated works cited page.
• Class: Mini lesson on taking notes for the research paper.
Wednesday, March 12th (H)
• Due: Keep reading!
• Class: Creative writing exercise (found poetry, style imitation).
Thursday, March 13th (F)
• Due: Finish reading Huck Finn and post to blog.
• Class: Discuss the end of the novel. Assign roles and articles for mock school committee meeting.
Friday, March 14th (S)
• Due: Summary of two articles as assigned.
• Class: Discuss articles, strategize for school committee meeting.
Monday, March. 17th (U)
• Class does not meet.
Tuesday, March 18th (M)
• Due: School committee statements from all witnesses.
• Class: School committee hearings.
Huck Finn Post
After finishing the novel, choose one of the two posts below to respond to. Remember that high quality, "check-plus" posts will be proofread, will specifically respond to a previous post, and will support ideas with evidence from the text.
Have fun and don't be afraid of (respectfully) disagreeing with each other; it keeps things interesting! Posts are due before class on Thursday.
Source: Questions adopted from Born to Trouble and The Glencoe Literature Library Study Guide.
Have fun and don't be afraid of (respectfully) disagreeing with each other; it keeps things interesting! Posts are due before class on Thursday.
Source: Questions adopted from Born to Trouble and The Glencoe Literature Library Study Guide.
Topic #1: A Heroic Juxtaposition
“I ask people to do a juxtaposition when confronting Jim. Take for a moment the notion that Huck is not the central character, but Jim is. How does this change notions of what this book is about? How is it that he – a slave and a ‘nigger’ – represents all the best qualities in the book, and how does he humanize Huck? How can Huck rise to heroic proportions without Jim? Jim teaches him how to be a hero.”
– Professor Maghan Keita
Respond to Professor Keita’s claims. Related questions to keep the conversation flowing: How is Jim a hero? How is Huck a hero? Does the novel have a conventional hero at all? What do you think is the climax of the novel? Why?
– Professor Maghan Keita
Respond to Professor Keita’s claims. Related questions to keep the conversation flowing: How is Jim a hero? How is Huck a hero? Does the novel have a conventional hero at all? What do you think is the climax of the novel? Why?
Topic #2: Evaluating the End of the Novel
The end of the novel has been severely criticized by some readers. Is the conclusion of the novel consistent with the characters we have come to know? Does it resolve the major conflicts in a satisfactory way? If don’t think it’s an effective ending to the novel, how would you change it and why?
Monday, March 3, 2008
Homework Survey
I'm doing a little research into my own teaching. Help me (and hopefully yourself!) out by taking this short survey on homework. Click here to start. Thanks for your feedback!
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Week of March 3rd
Note: Scroll down for tonight's Huck Finn homework!
Monday, March 3rd (H)
• Due: Research topic emails due; Huck Finn blog posts due.
• Class: Introduction to satire; mini-lesson on Annotated Works Cited assignment.
Tuesday, March 4th (F)
• Due: Keep reading!
• Class: Workshop on research paper in the Media Center. Bring any materials you have.
Wednesday, March 5th (S)
• Due: Contribute to blog: satire post.
1. View 15-20 minutes of television that is likely to contain satire (if timing is a problem, you can stream video clips of many shows through YouTube or the Comedy Central website; selected SNL skits are also available on the NBC website).
2. Write a paragraph response: Describe one brief scene that you believe to be satirical in nature. What is being ridiculed or what folly is exposed? Is any reform implied or suggested? What is the tone of the satire – is it more Horatian (gently mocking) or Juvenalian (sternly indignant)? Is the satire effective?
• Class: Workshop on satire (original skits).
Thursday, March 6th (U)
• Class does not meet.
Friday, March 7th (M)
• Due: Read Huck Finn through Ch. 31 and contribute to blog (new topics and questions will be posted).
• Class: Workshop on satire (original skits).
Monday, March. 10th (T)
• Due: Satire skits ready to go (with five minute refresher). Email or bring me any scripts before homeroom that you would like photocopied. Be working on Works Cited!
• Class: Perform and discuss satire skits.
Monday, March 3rd (H)
• Due: Research topic emails due; Huck Finn blog posts due.
• Class: Introduction to satire; mini-lesson on Annotated Works Cited assignment.
Tuesday, March 4th (F)
• Due: Keep reading!
• Class: Workshop on research paper in the Media Center. Bring any materials you have.
Wednesday, March 5th (S)
• Due: Contribute to blog: satire post.
1. View 15-20 minutes of television that is likely to contain satire (if timing is a problem, you can stream video clips of many shows through YouTube or the Comedy Central website; selected SNL skits are also available on the NBC website).
2. Write a paragraph response: Describe one brief scene that you believe to be satirical in nature. What is being ridiculed or what folly is exposed? Is any reform implied or suggested? What is the tone of the satire – is it more Horatian (gently mocking) or Juvenalian (sternly indignant)? Is the satire effective?
• Class: Workshop on satire (original skits).
Thursday, March 6th (U)
• Class does not meet.
Friday, March 7th (M)
• Due: Read Huck Finn through Ch. 31 and contribute to blog (new topics and questions will be posted).
• Class: Workshop on satire (original skits).
Monday, March. 10th (T)
• Due: Satire skits ready to go (with five minute refresher). Email or bring me any scripts before homeroom that you would like photocopied. Be working on Works Cited!
• Class: Perform and discuss satire skits.
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