Thursday, September 30
Students took an open-book quiz over the Declaration of Independence and we graded it together, after which we focused on the section -- deleted by the Congress before adoption -- in which Jefferson indicts George III for sponsoring the African slave trade and makes it crystal clear that he holds slavery to be a violation of the bedrock principles of the Declaration and of sacred human rights.
Friday: We will write a practice SAT essay in class; students who are absent will be required to come in after school one day next week and spend twenty-five minutes making it up.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Wednesday, September 29
We revisited students' KWL charts (which they turned in at the end of the period), and we reviewed some of the distinctive characteristics of American slavery. Our primary focus, however, was on establishing questions about American slavery which we want to answer as we proceed to read literary works concerning slavery (especially Frederick Douglass's Narrative). One such question concerns how people early in the country's history justified slavery and how they reconciled that institution with the principles of the founding documents -- especially the belief that "all men are created equal" and endowed with rights including liberty.
HW due Thursday:
Read the Declaration of Independence, pp. 117-123 in Elements of Literature, in the draft Jefferson presented to the Congress with the changes and deletions Congress made. There will be a quiz over the reading in class Thursday.
We revisited students' KWL charts (which they turned in at the end of the period), and we reviewed some of the distinctive characteristics of American slavery. Our primary focus, however, was on establishing questions about American slavery which we want to answer as we proceed to read literary works concerning slavery (especially Frederick Douglass's Narrative). One such question concerns how people early in the country's history justified slavery and how they reconciled that institution with the principles of the founding documents -- especially the belief that "all men are created equal" and endowed with rights including liberty.
HW due Thursday:
Read the Declaration of Independence, pp. 117-123 in Elements of Literature, in the draft Jefferson presented to the Congress with the changes and deletions Congress made. There will be a quiz over the reading in class Thursday.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tuesday, September 28
Students supplied CDs from Olaudah Equiano's Narrative to demonstrate that they had read the assignment.
In connection with that narrative we worked on a "KWL chart" (see page 57) on the subject of slavery, assessing what students know and want to know about the subject and what they learned from reading the excerpts from Equiano's account.
HW due Wednesday
Complete the KWL chart. Due at the beginning of class.
Students supplied CDs from Olaudah Equiano's Narrative to demonstrate that they had read the assignment.
In connection with that narrative we worked on a "KWL chart" (see page 57) on the subject of slavery, assessing what students know and want to know about the subject and what they learned from reading the excerpts from Equiano's account.
HW due Wednesday
Complete the KWL chart. Due at the beginning of class.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Monday, September 27
In lieu of the SAT Question of the Day we spent some time with apostrophes, in honor of the newly-posted No Excuses Conventions posters on the west wall of the classroom.
Next we returned to the Rivers of Babylon and Psalm 137, comparing the two, remarking on the absence in the song of the Psalm's vengeful ending, and stressing once again that different people may legitimately see and stress different things in the same text (whether we are speaking of scripture or secular literature).
Finally we turned to our next text, excerpts from the Narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano.
HW due Tuesday:
Read pp. 56-65 in Elements of Literature, the biography of Equiano and excerpts from his autobiography. Students will be asked to supply CDs from the text at the start of class.
In lieu of the SAT Question of the Day we spent some time with apostrophes, in honor of the newly-posted No Excuses Conventions posters on the west wall of the classroom.
Next we returned to the Rivers of Babylon and Psalm 137, comparing the two, remarking on the absence in the song of the Psalm's vengeful ending, and stressing once again that different people may legitimately see and stress different things in the same text (whether we are speaking of scripture or secular literature).
Finally we turned to our next text, excerpts from the Narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano.
HW due Tuesday:
Read pp. 56-65 in Elements of Literature, the biography of Equiano and excerpts from his autobiography. Students will be asked to supply CDs from the text at the start of class.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Friday, September 24
We examined and compared two different uses of Psalm 137, Mary Rowlandson's quotation of it in her Narrative, and the reggae anthem "Rivers of Babylon," as recorded by The Melodians. Using the textbook with the Rowlandson excerpts and the test of the psalm, and a handout with words of the reggae song and information about the Rastafari movement, students traced the analogies to their own situations which Rowlandson and The Melodians saw in the plight of the ancient Jews in captivity in Babylon.
The learning target included an awareness that different groups of people will use the same texts differently depending on their needs.
We examined and compared two different uses of Psalm 137, Mary Rowlandson's quotation of it in her Narrative, and the reggae anthem "Rivers of Babylon," as recorded by The Melodians. Using the textbook with the Rowlandson excerpts and the test of the psalm, and a handout with words of the reggae song and information about the Rastafari movement, students traced the analogies to their own situations which Rowlandson and The Melodians saw in the plight of the ancient Jews in captivity in Babylon.
The learning target included an awareness that different groups of people will use the same texts differently depending on their needs.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Thursday, September 23
We used the SAT question of the day to introduce the term and concept of "idiom."
We introduced Mary Rowlandson's Narrative by reading the prefatory material about her and the war with the Wampanoags on page 38, supplemented by the comments of "King Phillip" (Metacomet) himself on the causes for the war. We then began reading the excerpts from Rowlandson's account, focusing especially on her use of allusions to biblical passages.
HW due Friday:
Finish reading the Rowlandson excerpts and answer question 2 on page 46 in a single typed paragraph.
We used the SAT question of the day to introduce the term and concept of "idiom."
We introduced Mary Rowlandson's Narrative by reading the prefatory material about her and the war with the Wampanoags on page 38, supplemented by the comments of "King Phillip" (Metacomet) himself on the causes for the war. We then began reading the excerpts from Rowlandson's account, focusing especially on her use of allusions to biblical passages.
HW due Friday:
Finish reading the Rowlandson excerpts and answer question 2 on page 46 in a single typed paragraph.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Wednesday, September 22
Students received their corrected paragraphs on "The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky." We reviewed Mr. P's system for correcting writing, including the sheet of "No Excuses Conventions" and the sheet of proofreading and editing marks. Students then spent several minutes responding to comments and corrections by fixing or improving marked passages.
HW due Friday:
Read the excerpts from Mary Rowlandson's Narrative of the Captivity (pp. 40-45 in the textbook) and write a one-paragraph answer to Question #2 on page 46.
Students received their corrected paragraphs on "The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky." We reviewed Mr. P's system for correcting writing, including the sheet of "No Excuses Conventions" and the sheet of proofreading and editing marks. Students then spent several minutes responding to comments and corrections by fixing or improving marked passages.
HW due Friday:
Read the excerpts from Mary Rowlandson's Narrative of the Captivity (pp. 40-45 in the textbook) and write a one-paragraph answer to Question #2 on page 46.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Tuesday, September 21
We summarized what we learned yesterday about the Puritans' tendency to see the hand of God at work everywhere in men's affairs, and about their relations with the Indians. We discovered that the Puritans did in fact regard the plague which decimated the Indians as a gift from God to grant the Puritans their land. We examined the ambivalent feeling which European Americans have often had about Native Americans, and linked those feelings to changing feelings about nature. Mr. P read from an early 20th-century history text which displayed that ambiguity.
We summarized what we learned yesterday about the Puritans' tendency to see the hand of God at work everywhere in men's affairs, and about their relations with the Indians. We discovered that the Puritans did in fact regard the plague which decimated the Indians as a gift from God to grant the Puritans their land. We examined the ambivalent feeling which European Americans have often had about Native Americans, and linked those feelings to changing feelings about nature. Mr. P read from an early 20th-century history text which displayed that ambiguity.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Monday, September 20
Students wrote for seven minutes answering either question 2 or question 3 under Shaping Interpretations. We then discussed both topics (the Puritan's propensity to see spiritual meaning in daily events and the fairness of the Puritan' treaty with the Wampanoags). We then proceeded to examine the Puritan's relations with the Indians in the persons of Samoset and Squanto, investigating how it was that Squanto happened to speak English and why he was the last member of his village.
Students wrote for seven minutes answering either question 2 or question 3 under Shaping Interpretations. We then discussed both topics (the Puritan's propensity to see spiritual meaning in daily events and the fairness of the Puritan' treaty with the Wampanoags). We then proceeded to examine the Puritan's relations with the Indians in the persons of Samoset and Squanto, investigating how it was that Squanto happened to speak English and why he was the last member of his village.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Friday, September 17
Periods 1-3:
We read (or continued to read) the beginning of the William Bradford excerpts from Of Plymouth Plantation, commenting on both content and language.
Period 4:
We finished reading, and discussed, "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven."
HW due Monday (all sections):
Read (or finish reading) the excerpts from Of Plymouth Plantation" (pp.28-33) and review all questions on page 35; you will be asked to answer one of those questions in class on Monday.
Periods 1-3:
We read (or continued to read) the beginning of the William Bradford excerpts from Of Plymouth Plantation, commenting on both content and language.
Period 4:
We finished reading, and discussed, "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven."
HW due Monday (all sections):
Read (or finish reading) the excerpts from Of Plymouth Plantation" (pp.28-33) and review all questions on page 35; you will be asked to answer one of those questions in class on Monday.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Thursday, September 16
Periods 1-3:
Students turned in their completed timelines of American Literature.
We concluded our consideration of Native American culture and turned to the Puritans, beginning to read the brief excerpts in our textbook from William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation.
Period 4:
We watched a few old clips of The Lone Ranger, then began to read and discuss Sherman Alexie's "The LOne Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven."
Periods 1-3:
Students turned in their completed timelines of American Literature.
We concluded our consideration of Native American culture and turned to the Puritans, beginning to read the brief excerpts in our textbook from William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation.
Period 4:
We watched a few old clips of The Lone Ranger, then began to read and discuss Sherman Alexie's "The LOne Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven."
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Wednesday, September 15
We continued to discuss the collsion of Native American and European culture. Depending on the class, this may have included Nootka & Makah woodcarving; the case of John T. Williams; Pocahontas and the Jamestown colony; and/or the Puritans in Massacusetts.
HW due tomorrow:
Periods 1-3 -- Timeline of American Literature (see Tuesday's entry and the Documents page).
Period 4 -- Read "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven." What does this title mean?
We continued to discuss the collsion of Native American and European culture. Depending on the class, this may have included Nootka & Makah woodcarving; the case of John T. Williams; Pocahontas and the Jamestown colony; and/or the Puritans in Massacusetts.
HW due tomorrow:
Periods 1-3 -- Timeline of American Literature (see Tuesday's entry and the Documents page).
Period 4 -- Read "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven." What does this title mean?
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Tuesday, September 14
Periods 1-3:
We provided context for "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven" by examining a case study in European/Native American cultural interaction: the history of the totem pole in Seattle's Pioneer Square.
Students received copies of a timeline of American history, which they are to fill in t create a timeline of American literature (se Documents page).
Period 4:
Students turned in both drafts of their paragraphs, and we devoted most of the period to critiquing student paragraphs from other periods.
Students received copies of "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven" by Sherman Alexie.
HW due Thursday:
Periods 1-3:
Complete the 400-year timeline by filling in names, birth and death dates and major works by 32 authors, as stipulated on the worksheet (see Documents page).
Period 4:
Carefully read and annotate the short story handed out today. Consider especially the same question as you addressed for the Bruchac essay -- namely, what does the title mean??
Periods 1-3:
We provided context for "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven" by examining a case study in European/Native American cultural interaction: the history of the totem pole in Seattle's Pioneer Square.
Students received copies of a timeline of American history, which they are to fill in t create a timeline of American literature (se Documents page).
Period 4:
Students turned in both drafts of their paragraphs, and we devoted most of the period to critiquing student paragraphs from other periods.
Students received copies of "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven" by Sherman Alexie.
HW due Thursday:
Periods 1-3:
Complete the 400-year timeline by filling in names, birth and death dates and major works by 32 authors, as stipulated on the worksheet (see Documents page).
Period 4:
Carefully read and annotate the short story handed out today. Consider especially the same question as you addressed for the Bruchac essay -- namely, what does the title mean??
Monday, September 13, 2010
Monday, September 13
Periods 1-3:
We examined the punctuation of restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses.
We read and discussed Sherman Alexie's "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven."
Period 4:
Students read their paragraphs to each other and sketched out their paragraphs' structures.
We looked at images of artistic objects from the Makah and Nootka tribes over three millenia, illustrating both continuity and change in Native American culture ("The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky.")
Period 4 HW due Tuesday:
Improve your paragraph and bring both drafts to turn in tomorrow.
Periods 1-3:
We examined the punctuation of restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses.
We read and discussed Sherman Alexie's "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven."
Period 4:
Students read their paragraphs to each other and sketched out their paragraphs' structures.
We looked at images of artistic objects from the Makah and Nootka tribes over three millenia, illustrating both continuity and change in Native American culture ("The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky.")
Period 4 HW due Tuesday:
Improve your paragraph and bring both drafts to turn in tomorrow.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Friday, September 10
Periods 1 & 3:
Students recorded CD's from "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven," after which we watched old clips of the Lone Ranger and Tonto, and began to discuss the story.
Period 2:
We reviewed many items in the school planner.
Period 4:
Students checked out copies of the textbook, and we discussed the assignment for Monday, reviewing expectations regarding both the writing process and the structured writing guidelines.
HW due Monday:
Periods 1-3: Reread the story. You may have to write about it on Monday.
Period 4:
Read pages 20 and 21 in Elements of Literature (the textbook), which contain an essay by Joseph Bruchac about Native American literature, and write -- and type -- a solid, two-chunk paragraph conforming to structured writing guidelines. The paragraph is to answer the question, "What does Bruchac mean by the title of the essay ('The Sun Still Shines in the Same Sky')?"
Periods 1 & 3:
Students recorded CD's from "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven," after which we watched old clips of the Lone Ranger and Tonto, and began to discuss the story.
Period 2:
We reviewed many items in the school planner.
Period 4:
Students checked out copies of the textbook, and we discussed the assignment for Monday, reviewing expectations regarding both the writing process and the structured writing guidelines.
HW due Monday:
Periods 1-3: Reread the story. You may have to write about it on Monday.
Period 4:
Read pages 20 and 21 in Elements of Literature (the textbook), which contain an essay by Joseph Bruchac about Native American literature, and write -- and type -- a solid, two-chunk paragraph conforming to structured writing guidelines. The paragraph is to answer the question, "What does Bruchac mean by the title of the essay ('The Sun Still Shines in the Same Sky')?"
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Thursday, September 9
Per. 1: A discussion of continuity and change in Native American culture ("The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky"), followed by examination of a student paragraph or two.
Pers. 2&3: Critiquing of student paragraphs. Mr. P passed out copies of the No Excuses Conventions and Editing Marks sheets.
Per. 4: Syllabus quiz. Students used the syllabus to answer the questions, after which we graded it and reviewed thereby many rules, procedures, and expectations.
HW due Friday:
Periods 1-3: Read carefully "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven." What does this title mean??
Per. 1: A discussion of continuity and change in Native American culture ("The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky"), followed by examination of a student paragraph or two.
Pers. 2&3: Critiquing of student paragraphs. Mr. P passed out copies of the No Excuses Conventions and Editing Marks sheets.
Per. 4: Syllabus quiz. Students used the syllabus to answer the questions, after which we graded it and reviewed thereby many rules, procedures, and expectations.
HW due Friday:
Periods 1-3: Read carefully "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven." What does this title mean??
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Wednesday, Sept. 8
Per. 1
We discussed the meaning of "The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky" by examining one student paragraph and its interpretation. Students received a short story by Sherman Alexie, "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven."
Pers. 2 & 3
We discussed the meaning of "The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky" -- the continuity in Native American culture despite changes through the years -- by looking at various images, including photos by Edward S. and Asahel Curtis.
Per. 4
Students received the course syllabus and a letter for parents/guardians to read and sign.
HW due Thursday Per. 4:
Study the syllabus in preparation for a quiz over it.
HW due Friday, Pers. 1-3:
Read the Alexie story carefully. What does the title of this piece mean?
Per. 1
We discussed the meaning of "The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky" by examining one student paragraph and its interpretation. Students received a short story by Sherman Alexie, "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven."
Pers. 2 & 3
We discussed the meaning of "The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky" -- the continuity in Native American culture despite changes through the years -- by looking at various images, including photos by Edward S. and Asahel Curtis.
Per. 4
Students received the course syllabus and a letter for parents/guardians to read and sign.
HW due Thursday Per. 4:
Study the syllabus in preparation for a quiz over it.
HW due Friday, Pers. 1-3:
Read the Alexie story carefully. What does the title of this piece mean?
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Tuesday, September 7
Students were introduced to the Oxford English Dictionary (available free online to all King County Library cardholders), and we briefly discussed how language (and specifically the English) has changed through the years and continues to change.
Students silently reread their paragraphs on "The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky," then paired up and read them aloud to each other. After that they numbered the sentences in their paragraphs and labelled them as to type (TS, CD, CM, CM/CD, CD/CM, CS). They were instructed to mark changes on today's draft, then revise it to produce a final draft and turn in both drafts tomorrow.
HW due Wednesday:
First and final drafts of paragraph on Bruchac essay.
Students were introduced to the Oxford English Dictionary (available free online to all King County Library cardholders), and we briefly discussed how language (and specifically the English) has changed through the years and continues to change.
Students silently reread their paragraphs on "The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky," then paired up and read them aloud to each other. After that they numbered the sentences in their paragraphs and labelled them as to type (TS, CD, CM, CM/CD, CD/CM, CS). They were instructed to mark changes on today's draft, then revise it to produce a final draft and turn in both drafts tomorrow.
HW due Wednesday:
First and final drafts of paragraph on Bruchac essay.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Friday, September 3
Students checked out copies of the textbook (Elements of Literature, Course 5) and received an assignment involving reading a short selection in it, concerning Native American literature and culture, and responding to it in writing.
We also reviewed the basics of structured writing as students have learned them in previous Language Arts courses at Mount Si. The assigned paragraph needs to observe the structured language guidelines.
HW due Tuesday:
Read pages 20-25 in the textbook. Reread the essay by Joseph Bruchac on pages 20-21 and type a solid two-chunk paragraph explaining what Bruchac means by the essay's title, "The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky." Refer to items 13 and 14 in the last section of the course syllabus (see Documents page) for formatting guidlines.
Students checked out copies of the textbook (Elements of Literature, Course 5) and received an assignment involving reading a short selection in it, concerning Native American literature and culture, and responding to it in writing.
We also reviewed the basics of structured writing as students have learned them in previous Language Arts courses at Mount Si. The assigned paragraph needs to observe the structured language guidelines.
HW due Tuesday:
Read pages 20-25 in the textbook. Reread the essay by Joseph Bruchac on pages 20-21 and type a solid two-chunk paragraph explaining what Bruchac means by the essay's title, "The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky." Refer to items 13 and 14 in the last section of the course syllabus (see Documents page) for formatting guidlines.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Thursday, September 2
Students recorded concrete details (CD's) from two of the four stories assigned Wednesday to demonstrate that they had in fact read them.
We took an informal poll of which stories most matched students' preconceptions of what Native American stories are like. (The consensus was "How Mosquitos Came to Be" and "The Raven.") We used the answers to this to explore what we do expect of such stories: such features as mythical accounts of how things came to be, with supernatural events and transformations of people into animals, and vice versa. Essentially realistic stories like "The First Ship," set in recent times and featuring contact with European-Americans were deemed outside the mold. And yet, as Mr. P pointed out, contact and exchange with Europeans and their culture has been part of Indian life for half a millenium!
No HW for Friday, but students are advised there will be an assignment due after the long weekend.
Students recorded concrete details (CD's) from two of the four stories assigned Wednesday to demonstrate that they had in fact read them.
We took an informal poll of which stories most matched students' preconceptions of what Native American stories are like. (The consensus was "How Mosquitos Came to Be" and "The Raven.") We used the answers to this to explore what we do expect of such stories: such features as mythical accounts of how things came to be, with supernatural events and transformations of people into animals, and vice versa. Essentially realistic stories like "The First Ship," set in recent times and featuring contact with European-Americans were deemed outside the mold. And yet, as Mr. P pointed out, contact and exchange with Europeans and their culture has been part of Indian life for half a millenium!
No HW for Friday, but students are advised there will be an assignment due after the long weekend.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Wednesday, September 1
Students took a brief quiz over the course syllabus, using the syllabus to answer fourteen questions about curriculum, rules, and procedures. We then graded the quiz together and in the process reviewed the syllabus in some depth.
Students received a thin handout with several very short Native American stories of quite different sorts.
HW due Thursday:
Read the stories in the packet carefully, and prepare to answer questions about them, orally and/or in writing, in class Thursday.
Students took a brief quiz over the course syllabus, using the syllabus to answer fourteen questions about curriculum, rules, and procedures. We then graded the quiz together and in the process reviewed the syllabus in some depth.
Students received a thin handout with several very short Native American stories of quite different sorts.
HW due Thursday:
Read the stories in the packet carefully, and prepare to answer questions about them, orally and/or in writing, in class Thursday.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)